Discover rare mummies with strange artifacts and tattoos

The male mummy discovered in the town of Rontoy in Peru has pieces of metal on his eyes - this is a sign of his social position. The mummy was removed from the cloth in June 2008. People took away the organs of the dead and placed the body in layers of cotton and woven cloth for preservation.

The red and metallic paint on the face of someone who seems to be only in his 30s shows the high status of the man. The presence of the noble class at Rontoy makes people think that the mysterious Chancay area is more closely linked to the Huara river valley area than what previously known.

Picture 1 of Discover rare mummies with strange artifacts and tattoos

(Photo: National Geographic)

The Chancay people came to power around 1000 AD then conquered by the Incas in 1476, although the Chancay aristocracy continued to take power as a representative of the Incas.

Picture 2 of Discover rare mummies with strange artifacts and tattoos

(Photo: National Geographic)

A long, thin black tattoo follows the corner of the mummy's knee joint. Tattoos are often found in aristocracy, according to Kit Nelson, Tulane University anthropologist in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was he who discovered and removed the mummy bandage.

X-ray films do not detect bone damage, and eye-checking measures do not detect any fatal injuries. Perhaps this man died of infection even though the authorities' ruling has not yet confirmed this opinion.

Picture 3 of Discover rare mummies with strange artifacts and tattoos

(Photo: National Geographic)

The mummy is wrapped in elaborate woven fabric with light material. Thanksgiving feasts are everywhere in the fabric.

For example, in a class close to the body, there are two bolls on either side - one white, one brown. Nelson calls them 'weird things that we've never seen'.

Other things like corn, silver necklace beads and a wooden statue show this person's high status.

Picture 4 of Discover rare mummies with strange artifacts and tattoos

(Photo: National Geographic)

The mummy has the name 'Kiko Rontoy' buried with metal pieces on the eyes and a piece in the mouth (as shown on the photo). Metal pieces are hand-made from copper and silver.

The face of the red painted mummy is made of mercuric sulphide - a fairly common substance with a high burial habit.

Peruvian archaeologist Guillermo Cock said paint and metal are indicative of the social status of mummies. 'This person must be in the upper class , ' he said.

Picture 5 of Discover rare mummies with strange artifacts and tattoos

(Photo: National Geographic)

When the researchers looked at the right hand and arm of the mummy, they found the man holding a bag with empty wool (which could be seen somewhat on the photo). The mummy also held two rings in his hand.

Speckles that look a bit dirty around mummies are sacrifices made from corn kernels. Cock stressed that corn is the main source of food and is the raw material for wine processing. He said: 'Chicha is the only alcoholic drink they have, corn is a very valuable resource.'

Picture 6 of Discover rare mummies with strange artifacts and tattoos

(Photo: National Geographic)

Nelson, dressed in blue in the picture, discovered the mummy in a very special brick tomb located on the edge of a room inside a row of live bricks. As a pottery expert, Nelson is searching for remnants of pottery remains.

She said: 'We put our feet right above the mummy' . The mummy sits on a bed full of corn, placed underneath the three empty recesses often accompanied by sacred offerings. Here scientists did not detect any more prehistoric mummies.

Picture 7 of Discover rare mummies with strange artifacts and tattoos

(Photo: National Geographic)

The mummy was found at the ancient city of Rontoy in Peru, the city where the valley of Huaura river began to spread and then fell to the ocean.

Nelson said when the Chancay people lived here, the city of Rontoy was the center of the thriving agricultural community. The fields are vastly surrounded by the city.

However, the scale of Rontoy in the heyday has not been fully understood. The researchers are also not sure how many buildings have been ruined due to the rapid expansion of the sugar industry today.