Archaeologists in Peru Unearth 1,000-Year-Old Mummy With Long Hair, Intact Jaw

The human remains were found inside a ceremonial grave at the monument site of Huaca Pucllana: an adobe and pyramid built from earth that also serves as a burial site for nobility.

Archeologists based in Peru's Lima capital have unearthed a 1,000-year-old mummy at the Huaca Pucllana archaeological site that not only still has a head of well-preserved hair, but also a near-complete intact jaw.

The mummy, whose gender is currently unknown, was found buried alongside two ceramic vessels and textiles.

"I find it quite interesting that right in the heart of Miraflores, in the middle of the city, surrounded by modern buildings and constructions, an important site is still preserved," said lead archaeologist Mirella Ganoza.

Ganoza adds that the mummy was discovered in a “seated” position with bent legs. Photos taken of the mummy show the figure with its knees resting near its head.

It is possible that the mummy lived around 1,000 AD. During that time, the Ychsma people lived in that same region and have been credited with building more than a dozen pyramids that served as residential spaces and ceremonial centers. The Ychsma, or Ichma people, were in full control of the central coast of today’s Peru until the rise of the Incan empire at around 1469 AD.

Lima is teeming with sacred sites, as there are about 400 in the country’s capital. Studying these preserved bodies can help researchers better understand the ancient histories of Indigenous Pervuians, including their health and culture.

“It is interesting that we still find such things in the middle of the city,” Ganoza said, as many on social media hailed the discovery and congratulated Ganoza and her colleagues.

A similar discovery was made in the country’s capital in June, when a team of archeologists found a mummy with long black hair whose body had been tied with rope made from vines of vegetable origin.