Yomira Huaman, the archaeologist responsible for the research project, said the mummified teenager was found in “good condition”. It probably lived between 1100 and 1200 years ago and belonged to the Lima or Ichma cultures. The remains of eight children and 12 adults who were sacrificed probably 800-1200 years ago were also found at the site of the mummy.

Huaman also mentioned another mummy found nearby last year, about 200 meters from where the mummified teenager was found. This archaeological site has been intrigued by researchers for some time, with previous finds including skeletal remains and fragments of a mummy’s funeral package found last year.

Mummy of a teenager at the discovery site / Photograph UNMSM

Located about 20 kilometers from Lima, the sprawling Cajamarquilla complex consists of the remains of four pyramids and other structures such as walls arranged in a labyrinth. It is the second largest adobe city in Peru after Chan Chan in the northern Andean country. It is believed to have been a thriving trading post and may have been populated by people from the coast and the Andes.

The find will help to better understand the life and culture of the people who lived in this region more than 1,000 years ago. It is expected that the research project will continue and more information about the mummy or other finds will emerge.

While Peru is best known for the Inca royal mountain residence of Machu Picchu, the country was home to a variety of pre-Hispanic cultures that flourished, mostly along the country’s central coast and in the Andes, centuries before the Inca Empire came to power.