Puruchuco-Huaquerones (Perou): Dozens of Inca Mummies Discovered Buried
Sam Matthew
More than 1,000 years ago this pre-Inca baby was laid to rest on a barren Peruvian hillside.
It was among dozens of well-preserved mummified skeletons found by archaeologists on the outskirts of the capital city of Lima.
The discovery was made by experts who were hired by the Government to search the hillside for any remains prior to the building of a new road.
The site where the 26 tombs were found
Three days into the project the archaeologist came across the cemetery, according to National Geographic News.
'By now we have over 40 [mummy bundles] and the number increases every day.' Guillermo Cock, a Lima-based archaeologist, reportedly told the website.
'Given the proximity to the city and the tradition of looting in the area, we are really surprised that this is mostly undisturbed, mostly intact, mostly unlooted.
'Only a few bundles have suffered damage by human action.'
In total the team located around 26 tombs, containing both children and adults.
The latest discovery was made close to Puruchuco-Huaquerones - the largest Inca cemetery ever excavated.
In the last 60 years researchers have examined just 10 per cent of the historic site.
So far they have uncovered 2,000 mummies, ceramics and hundreds of pieces of textile, silver, copper and gold.
Pre-Inca baby
As well as the baby, archaeologists also uncovered the well-preserved remains of a number of pre-Inca adult
The latest finds have been moved to a site museum before the local government move ahead with the building of the new highway.
Here archaeologist have been carefully examining the well-preserved remains.
An archaeologist at the site museum shows how the mummies were wrapped up to preserve them
In recent years thousands of mummies have been uncovered in Peru by archaeologists
One of the most famous to ever be uncovered was 'Juanita the Ice Maiden', a girl preserved in ice on a mountain.
A pre-Inca silver ceremonial mask is seen on March 4, 2015, at the site museum of the almost unknown Puruchuco -"Feathered Head-Piece" in Andean Quechua language-complex in Lima.
A pre-Inca cotton and wool shoulder bag mask with silver applications
Experts examine a number of ceramics that were also uncovered by researchers