Ancient Unlooted Royal Wari Tomb Discovered In Peru [View all]

[Judi Lynn]

Ancient Unlooted Royal Wari Tomb Discovered In Peru
June 27, 2013

A team of Polish and Peruvian researchers has discovered one of the most remarkable tombs in South America, and despite much excitement, the excavators knew they had to keep it a secret from the public, according to a National Geographic report.

The stunning find, an ancient imperial tomb of the Wari, had only first come to light in January 2010 while Milosz Giersz, an archaeologist at the University of Warsaw in Poland, and colleagues searched an area of El Castillo Huarmey, north of Lima, Peru. Using aerial imagery, Giersz and project co-director Roberto Pimentel Nita found an outline of a possible subterranean mausoleum between two large adobe-brick pyramids.

Upon the discovery, Giersz expressed that there was not much room for happiness as the area was constantly under threat from grave robbers. In fact, the site has been a popular hunting ground for thieves for decades. So, in order to keep looters from nabbing precious gold and silver artifacts from this 1,200-year-old “temple of the dead,” Giersz and Nita kept the find quiet.

“I had a nightmare about the possibility,” Giersz said in a statement.

The team dug quietly for months in one burial chamber, collecting more than a thousand artifacts, including gold and silver jewelry, bronze axes and gold tools. The team also uncovered the remains of three Wari queens as well as 60 other individuals.

More:
http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1112884745/royal-wari-tomb-discovered-peru-unlooted-062713/