Archaeologists from the Institute of Archaeology at the University of Wrocław have made a discovery at the El Curaca site in southern Peru. In October 2023, they began a new season of archaeological excavations in the Atico River valley, unearthing a mass grave containing 24 individuals—men, women, and children—buried with great care and accompanied by a collection of funerary offerings.
The funerary practice is characteristic of ancient burials of the Lima culture. The bodies were carefully positioned and surrounded by funerary offerings, including ceramics, bone, stone, and textiles. The individuals in the mass grave were encircled by stones and buried with elaborate grave goods, demonstrating a high degree of artisanal specialization.
Anthropological analysis of the skeletal remains at El Curaca revealed that all individuals had traumatic injuries that were the direct cause of death, leading researchers to propose the hypothesis that they were victims of armed conflict. "This suggests they were likely all killed in some sort of interpersonal conflict between their group and another," according to a post from the Institute of Archaeology at the University of Wrocław.
"The combination of gruesome deaths followed by careful and loving burials also suggests their group was victorious in the conflict," researchers said, aligning with the idea that the surviving community honored their dead as heroes.
Previous excavation seasons at El Curaca unveiled stone structures and richly furnished collective burials, as reported by the Institute. The project, directed by Professor Józef Szykulski from the Institute of Archaeology at the University of Wrocław, is part of the Atico Valley Project—a collaboration with the government of Peru aimed at exploring the region's pre-Inca cultures.
The Atico Valley Project yielded findings that shed light on little-known aspects of the area's ancient civilizations, including ceramics dated to the early Formative period between 1800 and 1000 BCE. The ceramic elements recovered display typical features of the Chuquibamba (Aruni) culture. Researchers will continue to analyze the remains and grave goods to learn more about the largely unknown culture.
The main center of the Chuquibamba (Aruni) culture is located in the Majes River basin, south of Atico, where it thrived long before the age of the Inca. The Atico Valley itself is situated on the southern coast of Peru, approximately a 450-mile drive along the Pacific Ocean coastline from Lima.
Previous studies in the Atico Valley led to the discovery of rock paintings, remnants of Inca roads, and shell dumps from ancient gathering and fishing communities along the coast. An international team of archaeologists documented stone structures and collective burials of exceptional nature in the Atico River Valley and the adjacent Pacific coastal area.
The project benefits from the collaboration of specialists from the Archaeological Museum of Gdańsk. Excavations in the valley included laboratory studies and conservation work on objects found. Work on ancient textiles was especially arduous due to the fragility of the materials and the need to document every detail before any physical intervention.
Researchers created 3D models of the skulls discovered, utilizing techniques that allowed for more precise study of the morphological characteristics and injuries present in the human remains. The technological approach enhanced the understanding of the funerary practices and the way of life of the pre-Hispanic civilization, which had defined funerary rituals and a rich material tradition.
Professor Józef Szykulski was joined by a multidisciplinary team that included researchers, faculty, and students from the University of Wrocław. The Atico Project was funded by the National Science Center of Poland and continued to reveal insights into the ancient cultures that once inhabited southern Peru.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.