Construction workers were digging trenches to install gas pipelines when they discovered a mass grave containing the bodies of 12 people

The remains of children and adults were found by contractors on Tuesday, and archaeologists date them to between 600 and 800 years old

It is theorized that the skeletons may be related to the Chancay and Huaura cultures that existed in Peru before Spanish colonization in the 1500s

The discovery took place in a neighborhood north of the capital, Lima, and work immediately ceased to remove the remains.

Photos from the site show skulls, some with hair still on, and some amulets associated with traditional burials. Experts can be seen working hard to remove dirt and sand from the bones

Revealing ancient culture details

Archaeologist Roberto Quispe of the gas company said Reuters workers had been trained before the excavation on procedures for handling such finds and had informed authorities “We found about 12 pre-Hispanic child and adult burials related to the Chancay culture, which is about 600 years old, and others from the Huaura culture, which is more than 800 years old. ,” he declared.

These people were buried with very interesting offerings, some clay and ceramic figurines, possibly representing a female deity who accompanied them in a trance at death. “Peru is a country rich in archaeological treasures It has hundreds of sites dating back thousands of years and spanning dozens of cultures, including the Inca Empire that came to power when Spanish explorers arrived in the early 1500s