Peruvian archaeologists unearth 30 pre-Inca era graves

By REUTERS

Published: FEBRUARY 26, 2023 07:18

Updated: FEBRUARY 26, 2023 08:05

An archaeologist from the University of San Marcos works at the site of a burial belonging to the Chantay pre-Columbian culture, which was found in a cemetery at Macaton mountain in the north-central Huaral valley, in Huaral, Peru (photo credit: REUTERS) — An archaeologist from the University of San Marcos works at the site of a burial belonging to the Chantay pre-Columbian culture, which was found in a cemetery at Macaton mountain in the north-central Huaral valley, in Huaral, Peru

(photo credit: REUTERS)

Recent excavations in Peru unearthed new details about the Chancay people.

Peruvian archaeologists have discovered some 30 pre-Inca era graves in a cemetery belonging to the Chancay people, a group who inhabited valleys of Peru's central coast from 1,000 to 1,5000 CE.

The newly found 800-year-old graves have allowed specialists to know more about the Chancay culture, which has been little researched, Pieter Van Dalen, archeologist at San Marcos University, told Reuters.

How many ancient Inca burial grounds were found?

"In the last year we have discovered more than 2,000 burials in different cemeteries of the Chancay culture," he added.

Archaeologists find graves from pre-Inca in Huaral (credit: REUTERS)

Television footage shows archaeologists brushing dust off vases in different shapes with visible artwork in the cemetery.

The graves unearthed belong to people from different social classes, according to Van Dalen, who noted some were found at up to five meters (16.4 feet) below the surface and belonged to Chancay's elite.