In a groundbreaking archaeological find, researchers in Lima have uncovered a time capsule from the past, revealing the remnants of the Ychsma culture that thrived on Peru's central coast prior to the Inca Empire's dominance.
The four child mummies, discovered alongside an adult, were carefully interred in what is believed to have been a sacred ceremonial space, hidden beneath the modern facade of one of Lima's oldest neighborhoods.
The excavation site, situated at the foot of a staircase atop a small hill, is speculated to have once been a hallowed temple, constructed approximately 3,500 years ago.
"This whole area is a very important ceremonial chamber. The people who lived here during the Ychsma period still considered it a sacred space and therefore buried their dead here," said Luis Takuda, an archaeologist from Lima's Rimac district.
One remarkable aspect of the discovery is the remarkably preserved state of the mummies, with the children's skulls retaining traces of hair. The burial site also yielded an array of ceramics, providing additional insights into the cultural practices of the Ychsma people.