Peruvian archaeologists working at Huaca La Florida, located in Lima’s Rimac district, have discovered five mummies —apparently four children and one adult— who are believed to belong to the Manchay Culture and to be more than 1,000 years old.
Likewise, experts have found a staircase, which is believed to be 3,500 years old BC. The two particularly important findings were highlighted by Culture Minister Leslie Urtega as she visited the area.
The Culture sector’s head underscored the work carried out by the municipality’s Department of Culture, Historical Heritage, and Tourism, which is responsible for conducting the research, under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture.
Moreover, Urteaga called on neighbors to become aware of the historical value of these discoveries, in order to protect them.
“Neighbors and the population in general must remember that Rimac is a historical district because it is republican, colonial, and also pre-Hispanic,” she commented.
The government official explained that the mummies will be removed from the area by the end of the year, so that experts can continue their research, such as the analysis of components in the textiles found inside the funerary bundles.
About the measures to be adopted by the sector in order to protect the recently found archaeological heritage, she said the Municipality of Rimac is currently coordinating with private entities to prevent this area, mainly the staircase, from being affected by rains that may occur due to El Niño phenomenon.
In this regard, Urteaga reported that the Ministry of Culture has allocated a budget of S/14 million (about US$3.7 million) so that regional governments from Tumbes to Ica can take care of their tourist places, museums, and cultural sites from the upcoming weather event.