Remains of an ancient noblewoman have been discovered at a site unfit for a queen — a former garbage dump in Caral, Peru. The dump became an archaeological site in the 1990s.
Archaeologists in what may be one of the oldest cities in the Americas, unearthed the mummified woman who was between 20 years and 35 years old. They estimate she was buried about 5,000 years ago. Her body was wrapped in cotton fabrics, reed mats, and covered by a panel embroidered with macaw feathers. She also wore a headdress. The quality of the preservation of both her body and the objects buried with it is unusual.
“This is an exceptional burial due to the preservation of skin, hair, and nails, a rare condition in this area, where usually only skeletal remains are recovered,” according to a press release from Peru’s cultural ministry (translated from Spanish).
