In Peru, utility workers uncovered two ancient graves from the pre-Incan Chansei culture while digging trenches for a gas project in Lima. This discovery adds to a series of archaeological findings in the country this year.
A worker from the energy company Cálidda made the find. Interestingly, the two graves varied significantly. One was empty, while the other contained a skeleton believed to be around 1,000 years old.
The skeleton was found in a seated position, wrapped in torn cloth, with legs drawn up to the chest. Archaeological investigations also revealed four clay containers and three artifacts made from pumpkin shells within the tomb.
Jose Aliga, an archaeologist involved in the project, noted that the findings could help connect to the pre-Incan Chancay culture, highlighting Lima’s unique context where archaeological discoveries frequently emerge during construction projects.
A local resident, Flor Prieto, walking with her young daughter, expressed surprise about the area’s history, thinking it was always uninhabited. “But now I know that people older than the Incas lived here… I find it very exciting,” she remarked.
This isn’t the first skeleton that Cálidda has found. Over the past two decades, the company has documented more than 2,200 archaeological discoveries. Just earlier this year, they had excavated a well-preserved female mummy from the same area, indicating a rich and layered history beneath Lima’s streets.
