Existing comment:
Peruvian Mummies:
The five mummies in this case are from a burial cave near Lupo in the Peruvian Andes. They are preserved naturally by the dry environment and date to the early historic period, about 550 years ago. The largest mummy, a young female, was about 18 years old when she died. We can estimate her age by the unfused growth plate in her upper arm bone. The four children range in age from infancy to 5 years.
The mummies were brought to San Diego in 1915 for the Panama-California Exposition by Dr. Ales Hrdlicka of the Smithsonian Institution. The mummied had been discarded by vandals who had ransacked the cave for valuables.
The artifacts are from the nearby area and include a sewing basket complete with thread, bobbins, and spindles. The pottery and textiles are typical of Inca culture. |