First ever human remains from 3,000-year-old Marcavalle culture uncovered in Peru
Archaeologists have discovered a burial site in Cusco, Peru, with skeletal remains and artefacts dating back to the Marcavalle culture, which flourished around 1,000 BC. The finding is very significant because it is the first time that human remains have been found from the pre-Inca Marcavalle culture.
The burial site, found on land owned by a Cusco center for juvenile rehabilitation, contained the remains of five individuals in two double graves and one single grave. Three of the individuals found at the site were adults at the time of their deaths, while one was a child and the other an adolescent.
Archaeologists also found tools made from obsidian, camelid bones, and ceramic fragments bearing artistic motifs known to be associated with the Marcavalle culture. Some of the individuals found were buried wearing beaded necklaces.
Artefacts and ruins associated with the Marcavalle society (1000 BC to 700 BC) are among the oldest places found in Cusco. They were succeeded by the Chanapata culture, which developed agriculture and domesticated animals.
Archaeologists are now planning to continue excavations in the area to learn more about the Marcavalle.
Watch video of the Marcavalle discovery.
Featured image: Skeletal remains found at the burial site in Cuzco. Photo credit: Andina
