[Aztlan] Sican culture tomb with 22 dead and Tumi knives found in Peru

[michael ruggeri]

Peruvian archaeologists excavate first 'tumi' knives from pre-Inca tombs
-------------- next part --------------
The Associated Press
Published: November 21, 2006

-------------- next part --------------
FERRENAFE, Peru: Archaeologists said Tuesday they have unearthed 22  
graves in northern Peru containing a trove of pre-Inca artifacts,  
including the first "tumi" ceremonial knives ever discovered by  
archaeologists rather than looted by thieves.

The find, which prominent archaeologist Walter Alva called  
"overwhelmingly important," means that scientists can study the tumi  
? Peru's national symbol ? in a natural setting to learn about the  
context in which it was used.

"This discovery comes as an important contribution to know the burial  
rites of the elite of this culture," said Alva, who was not involved  
in the dig. He confirmed that no tumi had before been unearthed by  
archaeologists.

The tombs, more than 900 years old, were found next to a pyramid in  
the Pomac Forest Historical Sanctuary, 680 kilometers (420 miles)  
northwest of the capital, Lima. They are from the Sican culture,  
which flourished on Peru's northern desert coast from A.D. 750 to 1375.

The occupants "are clearly from the social elite and therefore some  
of them have gold objects, some of them have copper-gilded objects,  
but they are quite complex, well-endowed tombs," said Izumi Shimada.

Shimada, an anthropology professor at Southern Illinois University,  
began excavations at the site in July with Carlos Elera Arevalo,  
director of Peru's Sican National Museum. He said 10 tumi knives were  
found, including a 34-centimeter (14-inch) copper alloy tumi bearing  
the image of the Sican deity.

"The tumi has for many years been the symbol of Peru, and yet no  
decorated tumi has ever been found or documented scientifically," he  
told The Associated Press.

All known tumi knives were looted by grave robbers, Shimada said.  
Sican artifacts, he has argued in his research, were often  
misidentified as coming from the later Inca Empire because they were  
always seen out of context.

"It is the first time that such a tumi has been found in context, in  
a scientific manner, and therefore we will be able to speak a lot  
about the cultural significance of this object," he said.

Alva ? who led one of Peru's most famous archaeological discoveries,  
the Lords of Sipan tombs, in the late 1980s ? agreed.

"Finally, archaeologists have the opportunity to show a  
scientifically excavated tomb where the context can be known for  
these objects," he said.

The archaeologist gave President Alan Garcia a tour Tuesday of the  
excavation site, where Shimada said his team has found 22 tombs at up  
to 10 meters (33 feet) below ground level.

"This is an extraordinary find," Garcia said.

One grave contains the remains of a woman about 25 years old buried  
with 120 miniature clay "crisoles," Shimada said, which he believes  
were made by each member of the funeral ceremony "as a sort of last  
offering to be placed in the burial chamber."



Mike Ruggeri's Ancient America and Mesoamerica News and Links
http://community-2.webtv.net/Topiltzin-2091/MIKERUGGERISANCIENT/ 
index.html

Mike Ruggeri's Maya Archaeology News and Links
http://community-2.webtv.net/Topiltzin-2091/MIkeRuggerisMaya/index.html

Mike Ruggeri's Ancient America Museum Exhibitions, Conferences and  
Lectures
http://community-2.webtv.net/Topiltzin-2091/AncientAmerica/index.html

Mike Ruggeri's Mound
Builders and Ancient Southwest News and Links
http://community-2.webtv.net/Topiltzin-2091/MIKERUGGERISMOUND/index.html

Mike Ruggeri's Andean Archaeology News and Links
http://community-2.webtv.net/Topiltzin-2091/MikeRuggerisAndean/ 
index.html