考古学家在秘鲁首都利马附近的一处遗址出土了一具估计有
800 至 1,200 年历史的木乃伊。
圣马科斯国立大学的研究人员在距离利马内陆约 25 公里的 Cajamarquilla 考古遗址的一个城镇广场中央发现了这具保存完好的尸体。
这具木乃伊用绳子绑着，双手捂着脸，研究人员称这是秘鲁南部的葬礼习俗。木乃伊的年龄意味着它可以追溯到前西班牙时代，甚至早于 15 世纪建立秘鲁最著名的马丘比丘城堡的印加文明。
“这位居民的发现揭示了前西班牙时代的互动和关系，”领导挖掘的考古学家之一彼得·范·达伦·卢纳 (Pieter Van Dalen Luna) 说。
他告诉 CNN，这具木乃伊很可能是一名 25 至 30 岁的年轻人，他从山区来到卡哈马基亚（Cajamarquilla），那里曾是前哥伦布时代的繁华商业中心。
挖掘工作于 10 月中旬开始，由 Van Dalen Luna 和同事考古学家 Yomira Huamán Santillán 领导的 40 人小组开始，这一发现令人惊讶，因为他们没有在寻找木乃伊。
“整个团队都非常高兴，因为我们认为这不会发生，”华曼告诉 CNN。 “我们没想到会有如此重要的发现。”
另一个意外发现是木乃伊墓外的几只海洋软体动物，范达伦卢纳说这是不寻常的，因为 Cajamarquilla 距离海岸约 25 公里。
“尸体被放入坟墓后，会有不断的事件和活动，”范达伦卢纳说。 “也就是说，他们的后代多年来不断回来，并在那里放置食物和供品，包括软体动物。”
在坟墓外还发现了骆驼骨头，范达伦卢纳说，这是当时人们普遍食用的，因此会为死者提供骆驼肉。
这一发现使研究人员得出结论，这不是普通公民，而是当代社会的重要人物。
“在广场中间发现一具具有这些特征的木乃伊的事实清楚地表明，这是一位地位很高的人，”范达伦卢纳说，并补充说，除其他选择外，该人可能是主要交易员。
该团队现在将进行进一步的专业分析，包括碳测年，这将使他们能够缩小此人的居住时间以及有关其身份的更多详细信息。
之前在秘鲁和邻国智利发现了几具木乃伊，其中许多木乃伊已有 1000 多年的历史。
Peruvian mummy that's at least 800 years old found by archeologists in Lima
(CNN)A mummy estimated to be between 800 and 1,200 years old has been unearthed by archeologists in Peru, at a site near the country's capital city of Lima.
Researchers from the National University of San Marcos found the preserved body underground in the middle of a town square at the archeological site of Cajamarquilla, around 25 kilometers inland from Lima.
The mummy was tied with ropes and with its hands covering its face, in what researchers say is a southern Peruvian funeral custom. The age of the mummy means it dates back to pre-Hispanic times, and even precedes the Inca civilization who established Peru's best-known citadel of Machu Picchu in the 15th century.
"The discovery of this resident sheds a new light on interactions and relationships in pre-Hispanic times," said Pieter Van Dalen Luna, one of the archeologists who led the excavation.
He told CNN the mummy was most likely a young man between 25 and 30 years old who had come from the mountains to Cajamarquilla, formerly a bustling commercial center in the pre-Columbian era.
The excavation work began in mid-October with a team of 40 people led by Van Dalen Luna and fellow archeologist Yomira Huamán Santillán, and the discovery came as a surprise because they were not searching for a mummy.
"The whole team was really happy because we didn't think this was going to happen," Huamán told CNN. "We didn't expect to make such an important discovery."
Another unexpected find were several marine molluscs outside the tomb of the mummy, which Van Dalen Luna said is unusual given that Cajamarquilla is around 25 kilometers from the coast.
"After the body is placed in the tomb, there are constant events and activities," Van Dalen Luna said. "That is to say, their descendants keep coming back over many years and placing food and offerings there, including molluscs."
Llama bones were also found outside the tomb, and Van Dalen Luna said this was commonly eaten by people of the time and so pieces of llama meat would have been offered to the deceased.
The circumstances of the discovery led the researchers to conclude this was no ordinary citizen, but likely an important person in contemporary society.
"The fact of finding a mummy with these characteristics in the middle of the plaza makes it clear that this is someone of high status," Van Dalen Luna said, adding that among other options, the person in question could have been a leading trader.
The team will now carry out further specialized analysis including carbon dating that will allow them to narrow down the time period during which the person lived and more details about their identity.
Several mummies have previously been found in Peru and neighboring Chile, with many being over 1,000 years old.
