00:04 | Chiclayo (Lambayeque), Dec. 19.
Eleven ancient tombs —belonging to Middle
Mochica elite figures, mostly women, contemporaneous with those of Old Lord of Sipan— have been recently unearthed at Huaca Santa Rosa de Pucala archaeological site in northern Lambayeque region.
The announcement was made by the archaeological project director, Edgar Bracamonte, who claimed that
Royal Tombs of Sipan Museum archeologists resumed —about two months ago— research works at the monument as part of a study on Wari presence in Lambayeque Valley and the destination of Moche elites when the Middle Horizon ended.
"We have documented three different and quite particular moments of history, which are providing a better understanding of what happened with the Mochica people in this valley," he told Andina news agency.
The first area constitutes an elite cemetery of the Middle Mochica period. "We have found only one part of this cemetery, where we are working on 11 tombs, and a few more are to be unearthed."
"We discovered patterns different to those of
Sipan, which suggests there may be more than one Mochica population and more than one kind of Moche burial," he explained.
According to Bracamonte, these tombs are contemporaneous with those of the Old Lord of Sipan (between 300 and 400 A.D.) and help understand how the territory was occupied in Moche times.
Different form of burial
This newly discovered form of Moche burial involves small graves, which get wider as one goes down. The body is placed right there, bordered by adobe walls on northern and southern sides.
"These burials (at Huaca Santa Rosa de Pucala) not only show a north-south pattern, like in Sipan, but are aligned on east-west and north-south axes. Besides, signs are placed on the tombs once they are finished," he explained.
(END) SDC/JOT/RMB/MVB
Published: 12/19/2019