14 DAY TRIAL // Archaeologists carrying out excavations in Peru have recently stumbled upon the remains of a pre-Hispanic priestess.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that the remains are some 1,700 years old, and that the woman whom they belong to was a member of the Moche, otherwise known as Mochica, civilization.
The priestess' remains were discovered inside a burial chamber whose shape resembles that of the letter “L.”
Whomever built this chamber appears to have also put a lot of effort into decorating it, AFP tells us.
Thus, copper plates shaped like waves and sea birds, together with red and yellow pictures, adorn the burial chamber's walls.
As Luis Jaime Castillo put it, “The burial chamber of the priestess is 'L'-shaped and made of clay, covered with copper plates in the form of waves and sea birds.”
The priestess was buried together with five children and two adults, whose bodies were found close to her tomb.
Evidence suggests that these people were sacrificed to honor the priestess and her passing.
By the looks of it, the remains of seven other priestesses that lived about 1,200 years ago have been discovered in Peru over the past 2 decades alone.
Researchers explain that, all things considered, this proves that, in ancient times, present-day Chepan province in Peru and several other regions nearby were ruled by powerful women who did more than simply perform various rituals.
On the contrary, these women actually had a say in political and economic affairs, specialists believe.
According to the same source, project director Luis Jaime Castillo commented on the discovery of these 1,700-year-old remains as follows:
“This find makes it clear that women didn't just run rituals in this area but governed here and were queens of Mochica society.”
“It is the eighth priestess to be discovered. Our excavations have only turned up tombs with women, never men,” he went on to say.