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Mummy May Unravel Culture's Secrets

LiveScience
LiveScience
posted: 82 DAYS 14 HOURS AGO
comments: 98
filed under: World News
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LiveScience.com
(July 22) - A bundle bearing a mummy has been found in Peru's historic Huaura Valley. The mummy is thought to have been an elite member of the Chancay culture, a civilization that thrived in the central coast of Peru from about A.D. 1000 to 1400.

Mummy of Ancient Aristrocrat Found

Male mummy with metal plates over his eyes, found June 2008Kit Nelson, Tulane University

After finding a bundle in an ancient tomb, scientists unwrapped several layers of textiles to discover this mummy. Found in Peru's historic Huaura Valley, the mummy is that of a male who was probably an elite member of the Chancay culture, which thrived in Peru from around A.D. 1000 to 1400.

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The territory of the Chancay was later home to the Incas, who formed what became the largest pre-Columbian empire in America.
Tulane University anthropologist Kit Nelson is the co-director of a team that is in the process of unraveling the mummy. The mummy was found in the center of a tomb located within a large adobe walled compound. In addition to the mummy, the tomb contained several offerings, including whole vessels, a bag of fruit and other goods.
The individual was wrapped in layers of textiles and several offerings were placed within the layers. The offerings included balls of different colors of cotton, ground corn and corncobs, a bag with metal and a bag with some type of plant material. The individual was a male, about 30 to 45 years old. He was dressed in two tunics and a loincloth. Around his knees and his waist were slingshots.
Nelson and her fellow researchers, including two physical anthropologists, a textile specialist, a metals expert and a pathologist, have been painstakingly rolling back layer upon layer of textile and documenting the original preparation of the body and the associated offerings. Their work on the mummy should be completed by November after which the mummy and its objects will be prepared for an exhibition in Lima.
During the period in which the mummy lived, the central coast of Peru was marked by the formation of regional powers after the collapse of the large empires of the Middle Horizon period (A.D. 600). Two empires expanded through this area during this time of regional reorganization, the Chimu and later the Inca.

Ancient Human Remains

jawbone of human ancestor, presented March 26, 2008Jordi Mestre, EIA via EFE / AP

Archaeologists said March 26 this piece of jawbone is 1.3 million years old -- making it the oldest known fossil of a human ancestor in Europe. Unearthed in Spain, the fossil suggests human ancestors populated Europe much earlier than had been thought. Click through the gallery to see more ancient discoveries.

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Through this period of unrest and imperialism, the Huaura Valley maintained internal cohesion, visible in the continuation of regional style architecture, artifacts and art styles. This Chancay tomb, the only one excavated and scientifically examined, will shed light on the local social structure and the interaction of the Chancay with the other major powers during this period.
Nelson's work was funded by Tulane and a grant from National Geographic's Committee for Research and Exploration.
(c) 1999-2008 Imaginova Corp. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
© Imaginova Corp. All rights reserved.
2008-07-22 15:21:14
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Ledesmasonia

01:18 AMJul 27 2008

www.carm.org///dinosaurswww.clarifyingchristianity.com///gotquestions.or g///equip.org////science?godandscience.org///God bless

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SOUTHSTATEAUTO

12:22 PMJul 23 2008

GRAVEROBBERS!!!!

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(1)

TRAVELINGOKIES

12:14 PMJul 23 2008

Why do we turn everything into a debate? Forrest said it best, "Life is like a box of...."Can't we just enjoy the chocolate?Corrie Ten Boon said the same.And you people who are at work, using company time for chatting-get back to work:}

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TRAVELINGOKIES

12:13 PMJul 23 2008

Why do we turn everything into a debate? Forrest said it best, "Life is like a box of...."Can't we just enjoy the chocolate?Corrie Ten Boon said the same.And you people who are at work, using company time for chatting-get back to work:}

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(1)

WashyWizard84

12:04 PMJul 23 2008

By the way too; forcing religious beliefs upon the so called pagan heathens is partly what contributed to the ruination of their cultures--why we know so little about them and life in their period today.

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WashyWizard84

12:01 PMJul 23 2008

Political and religious topics have sites of their own! I know I've said it before, but try to talk about the on site topic and if you have nothing to say go to another site.

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Jyrdfrd

11:40 AMJul 23 2008

(cont) I usually prefer to follow Proverbs 26:4 " Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself." This is one of the very few times you'll see me quote scripture.....

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Jyrdfrd

11:35 AMJul 23 2008

So a mummy is found in Peru, a Christian makes a comment (I didn't read the original comment, but it really doesn't matter what it said) mentioning God and/or the Bible and the same tired bashing begins. Many of the self-proclaimed "enlightened people" (non-believers) then take great pride in displaying their ignorance of the Bible and it's teachings by taking quotes completely out of context, but then again many of the self-roclaimed "believers" do the same. Then of course we have the completly off the wall looneys making ignrant sweeping statements about the other side of their argument. The discussion should be focused on the significance of this find and Archaeology in general. If someone chooses to bring up their religious beliefs, that's fine, they've made their opinion known, just leave it alone whichever way they believe . Many of the bashers seem to try to goad an argument then complain about the "thumpers" making comments. The religious people often do the same thing......

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BasBleu23 Click to read Low-rated and possibly explicit material.

Camsoup22

10:43 AMJul 23 2008

The Bible is the inspired word of God written by man. It is not intended to be a history book of historical facts. It is a book of stories passed down from generation to generation that gives man guideance on how to live upstanding lives, and what we are to do if we would like to see the face of God when we leave our earthly bodies. I believe God is real. I believe he created the Heavens and the Earth, I believe he created all living things, and I believe that God allowed for creatures to evolve.

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