Tomb of the Craftsmen

At El Castillo de Huarmey on the northern coast of Peru, a team led by archaeologist Milosz Giersz from the Warsaw University, a tomb containing the remains of a man who held a prominent position in the Wari Empire (650 AD). l. 1000). The Wari controlled most of present-day Peru and relied on a combination of military power but also economic, especially irrigation projects, to maintain favour with the local people. The man found in the tomb was mummified, with the remains of six others in chambers nearby - probably another man, two women and three juveniles whose sex has not yet been determined. "They were clearly members of the elite, because we found them buried with important artifacts - gold and silver jewelry that was only accessible to the elite," Giersz says. "But what's really interesting is that these men were apparently not warriors."

While most high-ranking men in Wari iconography are depicted with weapons, the men and women in this tomb appear to be highly skilled craftsmen. The mummified man was buried with textiles, painted leather and baskets in various stages of production. Archaeologists have also found a range of raw materials for basket making, including reeds, coloured cottonand wool threads, cords of different sizes and colours, and beads of resin used as glue.

Giersz notes that the men and women in the tomb have marks on their bones caused by repetitive activity typical of the craft, but no signs of injuries from fighting. Their remains also show signs of severe physical disability, such as bone loss due to osteoporosis, lack of mobility and severe dental caries. These conditions, Giersz says, may explain why the men in the tomb were not fit to be warriors. The tomb is located near a huge mausoleum discovered by Giersz in 2012 that contains the remains of 58 high-ranking Wari women. The newly discovered tomb is the first to contain high-ranking Wari artisans.

Elmara

Sources: archaeology.org