Peruvian archaeologists unearthed an exceptional tomb at the archaeological site of Áspero, revealing the remains of an elite woman from the ancient Caral civilization, dating back about 5,000 years. The discovery, made in December in the area of the former fishing village of Áspero at the Huaca de los Ídolos site, provides insights into the role of women in the ancient society, according to Reuters.
Preliminary analyses indicate that the remains are those of a woman aged between 20 and 35 years, measuring approximately 1.5 meters in height. Unusually well-preserved, the body retained skin, hair, and nails—a rare condition at the site, where typically only bone remains are found. She was found with a mantle of blue and brown feathers, likely from an Amazonian bird such as a macaw (a type of parrot), Reuters reported.
Wrapped in several layers of textiles, including cotton and reeds, the woman wore a headdress made of fibers with bundles of twisted threads, signifying her high status. The burial goods included numerous offerings: Amazonian feathers, cotton textiles, ceramic vessels, needles made from animal bones, fishing nets, and a small lithic bowl with two perforations. One of the most striking offerings was a toucan's beak inlaid with 12 green mineral stones, confirming the relationship that the coastal culture maintained with the jungle, located hundreds of kilometers away.
"This discovery is not only important for the history of Peru but for the world and for understanding how the Caral civilization reached an important technological level," said David Palomino, the head of the research team at the Áspero site, according to 20 Minutos.
The Caral civilization flourished between 3000 and 1800 BCE, emerging 45 centuries before the Inca civilization. Áspero, an ancient fishing city of the Caral civilization, is located at the Huaca de los Ídolos site, which has been under investigation since 2005. The inhabitants of Áspero were mainly dedicated to marine production and engaged in short and long-distance exchange, evidenced by objects from the jungle and highlands found among the burial offerings.
The discovery confirms the role that women played in the Caral civilization. "The body demonstrates that women in the Caral civilization had relevance and a very important role, possibly of authorities as well, within the functions that existed in the fishing city," said Palomino, as reported by Reuters.
The preservation of the body and the nature of the offerings strongly suggest that the woman held a position of high social status. The mantle made with brown and sky-blue feathers from Amazonian macaws represents a discovery, as the technique of feather weaving had not been found until several centuries later in the Chimú and Inca cultures.
The burial was found as part of excavations led since 1996 by Peruvian archaeologist Ruth Shady. The Caral civilization appeared on an arid plateau in Peru, 182 kilometers north of Lima, in the Supe Valley. The civilization was contemporary with the ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Sumerian civilizations, although researchers say Caral developed in complete isolation.
"The finding reinforces the idea of the contribution that women had in the Caral civilization," Palomino added. "And above all that not only the male had a relevant importance in the association, but also it was complementary with the woman."
This discovery adds to other elite burials in Áspero, such as the "Lady of the Four Tupus" found in 2016 and the "Elite Man" found in 2019, providing further evidence of a hierarchical social structure within the Caral civilization.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.
