South American Archaeology News

The latest news, updates, and discoveries of the archaeology of South America including the Inca, Moche, Nazca and more.

South American Archaeology News

Peru: Tomb believed to be older than “Señor de Sipan” found in northern Peru

A team of archaeologists, led by Walter Alva, have discovered the wooden tomb of another member of the Mochica culture’s elite – older than the “Señor de Sipan” (Lord of Sipan).

These findings belong to the Moche civilization, which ruled the northern coast of Peru from the time of Christ to 800 AD, centuries prior to the Incas.

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South American Archaeology News

Recently Excavated Headless Skeleton Expands Understanding Of Ancient Andean Rituals

Images of disembodied heads are widespread in the art of Nasca, a culture based on the southern coast of Peru from AD 1 to AD 750. But despite this evidence and large numbers of trophy heads in the region’s archaeological record, only eight headless bodies have been recovered with evidence of decapitation, explains Christina A. Conlee (Texas State University). Conlee’s analysis of a newly excavated headless body from the site of La Tiza provides important new data on decapitation and its relationship to ancient ideas of death and regeneration.

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