Peruvian archaeologists excavate tombs

Associated Press via Yahoo ^ | Wed Nov 22, 2006 | MARTIN MEJIA

[Pharmboy]

Peruvian workers clean graves containing a trove of pre-
Inca artifacts in Ferrenafe, Peru, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2006.
Archaeologists in northern Peru said Tuesday they have
unearthed 22 artifact-rich graves containing a trove of pre-Inca
artifacts, including the first 'tumi' ceremonial knives ever
excavated scientifically. The more than 900-year-old tombs
were found next to a pyramid in the Pomac Forest Historical
Sanctuary, about 680 kilometers (420 miles) northwest of the
capital, Lima. They are from the Sican culture, which flourished
on Peru's northern desert coast from A.D. 750 to 1375.
(AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

Archaeologists said Tuesday they have unearthed 22 graves in northern Peru containing a trove of pre-Inca artifacts, including the first "tumi" ceremonial knives ever discovered by archaeologists rather than looted by thieves.

The find, which prominent archaeologist Walter Alva called "overwhelmingly important," means that scientists can study the tumi — Peru's national symbol — in its original setting to learn about the context in which it was used.

"This discovery comes as an important contribution to know the burial rites of the elite of this culture," said Alva, who was not involved in the dig. He confirmed that no tumi had before been unearthed by archaeologists.

The tombs, more than 900 years old, were found next to a pyramid in the Pomac Forest Historical Sanctuary, 420 miles northwest of the capital, Lima. They are from the Sican culture, which flourished on Peru's northern desert coast from A.D. 750 to 1375.

The occupants "are clearly from the social elite and therefore some of them have gold objects, some of them have copper-gilded objects, but they are quite complex, well-endowed tombs," said Izumi Shimada.

Shimada, an anthropology professor at Southern Illinois University, began excavations at the site in July with Carlos Elera Arevalo, director of Peru's Sican National Museum. He said 10 tumi knives were found, including a 14-inch copper alloy tumi bearing the image of the Sican deity.

"The tumi has for many years been the symbol of Peru, and yet no decorated tumi has ever been found or documented scientifically," he told The Associated Press.

All known tumi knives were looted by grave robbers, Shimada said. Sican artifacts, he has argued in his research, were often misidentified as coming from the later Inca Empire because they were always seen out of context.

"It is the first time that such a tumi has been found in context, in a scientific manner, and therefore we will be able to speak a lot about the cultural significance of this object," he said.

Alva agreed that the discovery could help explain the history of these ceremonial weapons, with their figurine handles and arched-shaped blades.

"Finally, archaeologists have the opportunity to show a scientifically excavated tomb where the context can be known for these objects," said Alva, who led one of Peru's most famous archaeological digs, which uncovered the Lords of Sipan tombs in the late 1980s.

The archaeologist gave President Alan Garcia a tour Tuesday of the Pomac Forest excavation site, where Shimada said his team has found 22 tombs at up to 33 feet below ground level.

"This is an extraordinary find," Garcia said.

One grave contains the remains of a woman about 25 years old buried with 120 miniature clay "crisoles" or crucibles, Shimada said, which he believes were made by each member of the funeral ceremony "as a sort of last offering to be placed in the burial chamber."

[Pharmboy]

Looks like a good find.

[Pharmboy]

Tumi ping...

[Pharmboy]

Tumi ping...

[Pharmboy]

Sorry about the double ping, blam and SunkenCiv...

The Tumi...

"The naked prisoner of war stands tied to a tree, his arms bent around its trunk, his mouth open in a cry of pain. His face has been peeled away, leaving no lips to cover his teeth and only cartilage where his nose had been. He strains to avoid a vulture that is pecking out his right eye. Opening his breast with a TUMI and seizing the still beating heart by the diviner, will be the last thing before his head being cut off with the same pure gold knife, in order to please the Sun God. This event ocurred about 1500 years ago, during the Splendor of the Moche, a Pre-Inca civilization."

Nice folks...

[Red Badger]

They must have been cousins to Mohammet.........

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Pharmboy. Those Moche et al sound like they had a side-splitting good time.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. Thanks.

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on or off the
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[-=SoylentSquirrel=-]

Surely you are mistaken; I'm fairly certain they lived in harmony with each other as well as all the little forest critters....

[Little Bill]

Dressed out the forest critters, yielded ounces, a dressed out warrior, 75 pounds, bone in, but they were Halal, they drank the blood, the meat was Kosher.

[Fred Nerks]

some images of moche artifacts from my treasure trove of images...

[rusty millet]

Nice whistling jar. Still trying to find more information on my more crude acquisition from Ecuador.

[Mercat]

There's a Moche room in the Chicago Museum of Fine Arts (?? the big one in the loop). Very very evil vibes there, seriously, I couldn't stand to spend any time in it.

[Mercat]

I have a pre Columbian clay whistle shapped like a bird and a clay baby rattle. My granddaughter is fascinated by them. We also have some copper artifacts and a couple of wackos which my father in law got when he was down there. Only one wacko has provenance.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks, nice photos.

[Rodney King]

How long does someone have to be dead before it is ok to dig them up?

[Fred Nerks]

http://www.inkanatura.com/northofperuandchachapoyas.asp

[Pharmboy]

That's a very good question...wonder what blam and SunkenCiv think?

[blam]

Kuelap - The Machu Picchu Of Northern Peru

[Pharmboy]

Thanks for the link--pretty impressive site.

[Fred Nerks]

thanks, here's the Easter Island connection image:

http://www.inkanatura.com/interiorchachapoyaskuelap.asp

[SunkenCiv]

Depends on who it is. Take the example of Oliver Cromwell...

;')