Archaeologists Uncover Remains of Two Children and an Adult Believed to be 3,800 Years Old, Linked to Ancient 'Water Cult'

Archeologists have discovered 3,800-year-old remains of two children , a teenager, and an adult in Peru.

Knewz.com has learned that the respective burial site is believed to belong to a “water cult” and expected to change expert perspectives of South American history.

The skeletal remains were found positioned so that they faced the mountains. Scientists speculate that these individuals – buried on the site of the temple dedicated to water – were placed this way because the worshippers of the era believed that water came from the mountains.

In the same ancient tomb, stone pennants and snail shells were found which are believed to be symbolic offerings.

This discovery was made at the Queneto archeological site first discovered five decades ago—but dates back to the Early Formative period between 1800 to 900 B.C.

During said era, the local Inca started erecting temples and pyramids using a large amount of ceramic.

Ph D candidate at Peru’s National University of Trujillo, Castillo Luján, weighed in on the find:

“The excavation covered a unit of 51 m² (548 square feet), equivalent to 1% of the total area of ​​the site. It has allowed us to identify cobblestone walls with clay plaster, which correspond to five interconnected environments .”

“These environments, characterized by curved corners, show a unique architecture of the Early Formative period,” he explained.

“In addition, fragments of early pottery found at the site are similar to those observed in other important settlements such as Gramalote, in the Moche Valley, and Huaca Negra, near the coast in the Virú Valley.”

Said Gramalote site in the Moche Valley is also known for its human remains. Since its discovery in 1973, it has become a resource for artifacts that offer insights into the social dynamics of the formative Andean cultures; the Caral, the Chavin, and the Inca.

A paper on this area states that “local shells, sea lion and shark bones, were found [in graves with the human remains] along with domestic structures.”

“This evidence suggests that marine resources in formative Andean cultures had an importance beyond subsistence. Sea products appear to have had a crucial role in early local cosmology and religion,” said paper published on the ACADEMIA website states .

The Huaca Negra archeological site Luján refers to lies in the Virú Valley (also in Northern Peru) and is home to the El Brujo Archaeological Complex.

Here, evidence of human habitation as recent as 14,000 years ago can be found.

According to the associated website, Complejo Arqueológico El Brujo , the El Brujo Archaeological Complex comprises “an oval mound constructed with cobblestones joined with waste or garbage, composed of ash and organic remains, which give the building a dark color and for which it gets its name.”

The platform further notes that “burials of groups of individuals placed in a flexed position were found.”

“One of them had as paraphernalia two pyrographed calabashes with depictions of felines and birds , as well as cotton textiles with geometric designs. These artifacts, along with others, soon became references of technical skill and references of pre-Chavin figurative art,” the website noted.

The Queneto dig, Luján fears, is under threat. He warns that while the area’s potential for tourism is significant, attention should be paid to the site’s fragility:

“The archaeological community and local authorities have the power to transform the Virú Valley into a reference point for cultural tourism and a bastion of Peruvian identity. But time is running out, and actions to preserve this site must be taken before it is too late.”