I don't know about you, but I love a good "history mystery!" Abandoned traffic jams, hidden bunkers, ancient creatures…the spookier and more puzzling, the better!
That's why I was so happy to stumble upon this historical gem!
High upon a cliff in the Utcubamba Valley of Peru sits some very strange, very old figures. From afar, they look like travelers who have been marooned on a narrow ledge. But upon closer examination, you'll see that these six figures, six in all, are actually valuable artifacts from a lost civilization dating back to the 1400s!
The figures are called purunmachus, and they are a type of sarcophagus unique to the Chachapoya people. Around the 1470s, the Inca Empire invaded and conquered the Chachapoya people. Although their culture was subsumed by the mighty Incas, many purunmachus still exist today.
But the most fascinating detail of these amazing sarcophagi? The remnants they contain! I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw how well-preserved these treasures were.
Please SHARE if you love a good ancient mystery as much as I do!
At the archaeological site of Karajia sit the funeral tombs of the “ancient wise men."
Each sarcophagus is about three feet tall. They are made of a mud, straw, and clay mixture. They were originally all white and detailed with yellow and red ochre.
Some of the headpieces are embellished with horns, deer antlers, or encrusted human skulls. Their inaccessible location has preserved them from destruction by looters.
Some sarcophagi have been damaged by earthquakes and storms.
Inside the sarcophagi? Canvas bags containing remains of family members and tribal elders.
The bags are usually drawn upon, perhaps depicting the person whose remains they contain. The image of the inside of the sarcophagus is not for the faint of heart, so we blurred it out. You can reveal it below if you dare.
Here is the valley in which the sarcophagi were found. Imagine what else lies there undiscovered!
Please SHARE if you think these artifacts are incredible pieces of history!
