Lima - Some 40 mummies from the pre-Inca civilization Chachapoyas were found in the fortress of Kuelap in Peru, the project leader at the archaeological site said Wednesday. Alfredo Narvaez said the mummies, who were both men and women and of various ages, were found under tons of dirt and stones, along with several pieces of pottery.
"The most surprising thing is that the remains show traces of having been affected by a fire. This opens up new questions for researchers, like whether they were victims of an epidemic or maybe of a violent occupation that ended in a massacre, after which the fortress was set ablaze," Narvaez told the Andina news agency.
The researcher said the mummies were located in and outside six circular buildings, presumably houses.
The Chachapoyas, one of the dominant cultures in Peru before being subdued by the Incas, left a major archaeological heritage including the fortress of Kuelap, 3,000 metres above sea level, in the region of Amazonas more than 1,400 kilometres north-east of Lima.
