15:13 | Trujillo (La Libertad), Aug. 22.
Doubts and questions surrounding Lady of Cao's role in the Moche society will be solved after the publication of a multidisciplinary monograph, currently being crafted by the Wiese Foundation.
The renowned Peruvian researcher underlined that one of these questions seeks to determine whether the
Lady of Cao was a priestess or a powerful ruler.
"Many researchers will contribute to this document. For instance, John Verano —of Tulane University— has carried out a physical anthropology study of the
Lady of Cao," Franco expressed.
"Likewise, it (the document) has the support of Jordi Esteban —of University of Barcelona— who investigated the causes of her death, her age of death, her height, her DNA, among other data," he added.
Powerful ruler
The document will present conclusions reached by studies of metal objects found in the mummy's funerary bundle.
Additionally, the monograph will include an in-depth analysis of the tattoos on her skin and the complex symbolism covering her arms and forearms.
"This analysis invites us to think the
Lady of Cao was a powerful ruler, not a priestess, making it the contextual scientific discovery in the Americas' Andean region so far, compared to the Red Queen in Palenque, Mexico, who was not necessarily the queen of such area," the archaeologist commented.
"In this case, the Lady of Cao is a ruler, which is the missing piece to understand the role of women in ancient Peru," he continued.
According to Franco, the new discoveries will reinforce the idea of a matriarchy in the Inca country's ancient history.
(END) LPZ/MAO/RMB/MVB
Published: 8/22/2018