At the Pacopampa site, a group of archaeologists believe they have located the grave of a priestly figure who was known as the “priest of the pututos,” or priest of the shell trumpets, and who served as a religious leader in ancient Peru. The remains of the Pacopampa priest’s tomb have a date of origin of roughly 1000 BC. Musical instruments and a variety of exotic artifacts were buried alongside him.
Pacopampa is situated in the broader Cajamarca region’s Chota province. According to Agency Andina, the Pacopampa priest’s tomb was inside the “La Capilla” building, and the guy inside was between 25 and 35 years old. The Lady of Pacopampa, who passed away in 750 BC, and the Serpent Jaguar Priest, who died in 700 BC, are the other two tombs that have previously been unearthed at the location (uncovered in 2015).
The team from the National University of San Marcos and the Ethnographic Museum of Japan, shown here, has been working at the location since 2005. They found the Pacopampa priest’s tomb. (Ministry of Culture of Peru)
Discovering a Rich Tomb in the Pacopampa Priest’s Tomb
Since 2005, the Ethnographic Museum of Japan and the Peruvian National University of San Marcos have been working together on the Pacopampa site. This team has worked on a variety of research projects together within the context of the 1988 International Cooperation Agreement on Research and Development that was signed between the two nations.
The Pacopampa priest’s tomb had been sealed with a huge rock that weighed more than half a ton (1,100 pounds). Inside, the team found offerings, votive deposits, trousseaus of exotic objects, seashell necklaces, malachite beads, and semi-precious stone earmuffs. And they also found pututos or shell trumpets.
Pututos were used as instruments in rituals and ceremonies. Ancient pututos were made from seashells imported from northern seaside settlements, including Tumbes and Guayaquil.
In a report, the archaeologists have argued that the Pacopampa shell trumpets are older than the ones found in Kuntur Wasi in Cajamarca, and Chavin de Huantar in Ancash.
“The burial is also associated with the Strombus snail that you don’t find in the Peruvian sea but in the Ecuadorian one. They were brought from a faraway place, it could mean this person had a quite important religious power back then,” said Yuji Seki, one of the directors of the Pacopampa Archaeological Project, to Reuters. The team has also shared the Pacopampa priest’s tomb finds on their Twitter account.
The original state of the Pacopampa priest’s tomb when it was first opened and before it was “cleaned up.” ( Peruvian Ministry of Culture )
The Pacopampa Archaeological Complex and a New Museum
The Pacopampa Archaeological Complex was a large ceremonial center made with carved and polished stone. There are 12 archaeological sites within the complex, including La Capilla and El Mirador. In 2009, the tomb of a 30–40-year-old woman, “La Dama de Pacopampa” (The Dame of Pacopampa), was discovered at the site, she was believed to be a woman of power in the local community.
In 2012, five more tombs were discovered that were dated to roughly 2,900 years ago.
The first occupation at the Pacopampa Archaeological Complex dates to the beginning of the Middle Formative Period (1200 BC onwards). Historical records indicate a constant stream of construction right up until 500 BC. The temperate climate and fertile soils , along with ready access to the Chotano River provided this flourishing civilization with an abundance of corn, beans, squash, and yacon.
Roxana Judith Padilla Malca, director of the Decentralized Directorate of Culture of Cajamarca, is the head of the complex. She has highlighted the work of the Japanese and Peruvian researchers. The archaeological complex is widely believed to be the most extensive and important one in the Sierra Norte region of Peru.
Further digging has been approved by the Ministry of Culture for the 2022 season, under the supervision of archaeologist Francisco Esquerre, representatives of the Cajamarca Decentralized Directorate of Culture announced.
There are plans now to construct a site museum, which the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism has promised to finance. The facility will showcase the work of this international research team and give the public a chance to see the treasures of ancient northern Peru.
Scientists unearth ancient tomb in Peru
Source: ancient-origins.net
