Category Archives: SOUTH AMERICA

BRAZIL, SOUTH AMERICA, WORLD

9,000-Year-Old Rock Art Suggests Early Humans Interacted with Dinosaur Footprints

9,000-Year-Old Rock Art Suggests Early Humans Interacted with Dinosaur Footprints

9,000-Year-Old Rock Art Suggests Early Humans Interacted with Dinosaur Footprints

In Brazil, researchers have made an extraordinary discovery of ancient rock art dating back over 9,000 years, found alongside dinosaur footprints from the Cretaceous Period, approximately 66 million years ago. This significant find took place in Serrote do Letreiro, located in the Sousa Basin.

Led by researchers Leonardo P. Troiano, Heloísa B. dos Santos, Tito Aureliano, and Aline M. Ghilardi, the study indicates that prehistoric hunter-gatherers in Brazil crafted enigmatic rock  art designs, referred to as petroglyphs, alongside dinosaur footprints. These discoveries provide important insights into the relationship between paleontology and archaeology, especially at the Serrote site.

The study conducted by Leonardo P. Troiano and his team has uncovered important insights into ancient rock art in Brazil.

Although the petroglyphs were initially discovered in 1975, it is only recently that researchers have found these carvings situated near substantial dinosaur footprints, aided by the cutting-edge application of drone technology.

These footprints are thought to be from dinosaurs that roamed during the Cretaceous Period, which concluded approximately 66 million years ago.

The researchers propose that prehistoric humans intentionally placed these carvings next to the dinosaur prints, with some petroglyphs located just 2 to 4 inches away and potentially depicting the footprints themselves. This suggests that ancient people were not only aware of the footprints but also interacted with them meaningfully.

Credit: Scientific Reports (Sci Rep) ISSN 2045-2322 (online)

Leonardo Troiano, the study’s lead author and an archaeologist from Brazil’s National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage, emphasized that the individuals who created the petroglyphs were likely drawn to the footprints, selecting the location specifically because of their presence.

Troiano noted that these ancient humans found the footprints significant, which aligns with the location of Serrote do Letreiro, or “Signpost Hill,” situated near the Valley of the Dinosaurs, a conservation area famous for its numerous fossilized dinosaur footprints.

In 2023, Troiano and his team conducted research with a group of middle-school students who helped survey the site. The students not only learned about the intersection of paleontology and archaeology but also assisted in photographing the specimens.

The team identified tracks from various dinosaur types, including meat-eating theropods, long-necked sauropods, and two-legged ornithopods, such as iguanodontian dinosaurs.

The petroglyphs discovered primarily consist of circles filled with lines and other geometric shapes, attributed to humans who lived in the region between 9,400 and 2,620 years ago.

Troiano described these ancient people as small, seminomadic groups of hunters and gatherers who utilized stone tools. The rock carvings were created using two techniques: perforation and scraping. Perforation involves using a stone hammer to create depressions, while scraping entails rubbing a stone against the surface to form engravings.

The petroglyphs offer crucial evidence about the historical population and shed light on the rituals and practices of that time. “I think rock art creation was embedded in some sort of ritual context: people gathering and creating something, perhaps utilizing some psychotropics,” said Troiano, adding that these people were interested in “what the footprints represent.”

Credit: Scientific Reports (Sci Rep) ISSN 2045-2322 (online)

Supporting Troiano’s hypothesis, Jan Simek, a distinguished professor of anthropology at the University of Tennessee, remarked that the study presents a compelling example of how ancient people observed and integrated fossils into their spiritual experiences and interpretations.

He noted that this case exemplifies the human tendency to connect the spiritual realm with unexplained phenomena in the surrounding world.

EUROPE, PERU, SOUTH AMERICA, WORLD

Archaeologists Discover 3,000-Year-Old Megalithic Temple Used by a ‘Water Cult’

Archaeologists Discover 3,000-Year-Old Megalithic Temple Used by a ‘Water Cult’

Archaeologists Discover 3,000-Year-Old Megalithic Temple Used by a 'Water Cult'
Archaeologists uncovered a 3000-year-old megalithic temple in Peru

Archaeologists have discovered a 3000-year-old megalithic temple in Peru that an ancient “water cult” used for fertility rituals.

The temple, found at the Huaca El Toro archaeological site, is located in modern-day Oyotún in the Zaña Valley of  northwestern Peru. It is the first megalithic temple, or one made from large stones, found in this valley, which sits between two rivers that join together and give rise to the Zaña River.

The ancient cult, whose members worshiped water, likely built the temple in an area where a new river rises as a kind of “territorial symbolism,” said Edgar Bracamonte, an archaeologist with the Royal Tombs of Sipan Museum in Peru, who took part in the excavations.

“Water is the most important element to live, and in this time, water was so difficult to access without technology.” 

The temple dates back 3,000 years, to the Formative period, a stage of ancient American history that predates any major hydraulic works, Bracamonte said.

The temple’s location between the rivers and the presence of the surrounding “pocitos,” or small wells that the ancients used to predict rainy seasons, “show water’s importance to people of [the] Formative period,” he added.

The temple was surrounded with tiny wells or “pocitos” that the ancient people used to predict rainy seasons.

The temple was constructed using different sizes of large, carved rocks, which were moved to the area from mountains around 1.86 miles (3 kilometers) away.

The temple is thought to have been abandoned around 250 B.C. and then used as a burial ground by the Chumy people who, around 1300, reoccupied the site, Bracamonte said.

The team discovered 21 tombs in the temple; 20 belonged to the Chumy people and one belonged to an adult male buried during the Formative period.

During that period, bodies were oriented east to west and buried with a single offering. This adult male was buried with a ceramic bottle that had two spouts and a bridge handle, a style characteristic of the final Formative period, Bracamonte said.

The excavations also revealed that the temple was occupied in three stages — the first between 1500 B.C. and 800 B.C., when people built the structure’s foundations from cone-shaped clay; the second between 800 B.C. and 400 B.C., when the megalithic temple was built with influences from the pre-Inca civilization known as the Chavin; and the third between 400 B.C. and 100 B.C., when people added circular columns that were used to hold up the roof of the temple.

The excavations took place between September and November of this year, but the researchers are continuing to analyze their finds in the lab.

To build this site, ancient people had to move stones from mountains around 1.86 miles (3 kilometers) away.
SOUTH AMERICA, WORLD

4,000-year-old Rock Art From A Previously Unknown Ancient Culture uncovered in Venezuela

4,000-year-old Rock Art From A Previously Unknown Ancient Culture uncovered in Venezuela

4,000-year-old Rock Art From A Previously Unknown Ancient Culture uncovered in Venezuela

An archaeological team in Venezuela has uncovered 20 ancient rock art sites in Canaima National Park in the southeastern part of the country, consisting of both pictograms and petroglyphs, estimated to be about 4,000 years old.

This discovery reveals a previously unknown culture, even though similar rock art has been found elsewhere in South America.

The newfound rock art, referred to as pictograms, was painted in red and featured geometric shapes such as dotted lines, rows of X’s, star-shaped patterns, and interconnected straight lines.

Additionally, there are simple depictions of leaves and stick figure drawings of people. Some images, known as petroglyphs, were incised into the rock and exhibit similar geometric designs.

These paintings resemble other rock art from South America, such as that from Brazil, Colombia, and Guyana, but they also show the rise of a unique cultural group that was previously unknown.

An archaeologist and researcher at Simón Bolívar University in Caracas, José Miguel Pérez-Gómez told DailyMail.com that previous studies have found no signs of human activity in the region, suggesting the art was made by a previously unknown civilization.

One area where rock art sites were found in Venezuela was near Angel Falls, the tallest land waterfall on Earth.

The purpose behind this art remains unclear.

The various representations could be associated with topics like childbirth, illness, nature reviving, or ethical hunting. Just as churches have great meaning for people today, the sites where the rock art was made probably had great significance for the surrounding environment.

“It is almost impossible to get into the minds of people living so many [thousands of] years ago” lead researcher José Miguel Pérez-Gómez, told Live Science over email. He added that “definitely these signs had a ritual meaning.”

Ceramic and stone tool remains were also discovered at the 20 rock art sites, possibly used by the artists themselves. However, Pérez-Gómez says more research is needed to confirm this. He also stated that more rock art sites are likely to be discovered in Canaima National Park as research continues.

Rock art from Upuigma-tepui rock shelter in Canaima National Park, Venezuela.

Although it is not known precisely how old rock art is, similar rock art in Brazil has been dated to about 4,000 years ago, but Perez-Gomez believes the examples in Venezuela may be older.

The park might have been the original place where this unknown culture first developed, Perez-Gomez told Live Science, adding that they may have later dispersed to places as far away as the Amazon River, the Guianas, and even southern Colombia, which all feature rock art akin to the newly found sites in Venezuela.

The research was first presented at the “New Worlds New Ideas” prehistoric archaeological congress held in Valcamonica, Italy.

Some of the newly found rock art in Venezuela.
COLOMBIA, SOUTH AMERICA, WORLD

Giant Prehistoric Rock Engravings Discovered in South America May Be The World’s Largest

Giant Prehistoric Rock Engravings Discovered in South America May Be The World’s Largest

Giant Prehistoric Rock Engravings Discovered in South America May Be The World’s Largest

Researchers made a groundbreaking discovery of what is thought to be the world’s largest prehistoric rock art. Enormous engraved rock art of anacondas, rodents, giant Amazonian centipedes, and other animals along the Orinoco River in Colombia and Venezuela may have been used to mark territory 2,000 years ago.

Rock engravings recorded by researchers from Bournemouth University (UK), University College London (UK) and Universidad de los Andes (Colombia), believe this is the largest single rock engraving recorded anywhere in the world. Some of the engravings are tens of meters long – with the largest measuring more than 40m in length.

While some of the locations were previously known, the team has used drone photography to map 14 sites of monumental rock engravings, which are defined as those that are more than four meters wide or high, and has also found several more.

While it is difficult to date rock engravings, similar motifs used on pottery found in the area indicate that they were created anywhere up to 2,000 years ago, although possibly much older.

Many of the largest engravings are of  snakes, believed to be boa constrictors or anacondas, which played an important role in the myths and beliefs of the local Indigenous population.

Their size makes them visible from a distance, suggesting they were used as ancient signposts that told travelers along the prehistoric trade route whose territory they were entering and leaving.

The new findings were published on Monday in Antiquity.

The engravings may represent mythological traditions that continue today, says archaeologist and anthropologist Carlos Castaño-Uribe,  scientific director of the Caribbean Environmental Heritage Foundation in Colombia.

Orthophoto detail of monumental rock art on Picure Island, Venezuela.

Lead author Dr Phil Riris, Senior Lecturer in Archaeological Environmental Modelling at Bournemouth University, said: “These monumental sites are truly big, impressive sites, which we believe were meant to be seen from some distance away.

“We know that anacondas and boas are associated with not just the creator deity of some of Indigenous groups in the region, but that they are also seen as lethal beings that can kill people and large animals.

“We believe the engravings could have been used by prehistoric groups as a way to mark territory, letting people know that this is where they live and that appropriate behaviour is expected.

“Snakes are generally interpreted as quite threatening, so where the rock art is located could be a signal that these are places where you need to mind your manners.”

The researchers located 157 rock art locations between the upriver Maipures Rapids and the downstream Colombian city of Puerto Carreño. Of these, more than a dozen had engravings longer than four meters (about 13 feet). The largest is the anaconda, which is over 40 meters (roughly 130 feet) in length. Riris says it is likely the largest known prehistoric rock engraving in the world.

University College London’da Latin Amerika arkeolojisi okuyan Dr. José Oliver, anıtsal kaya resimleri taşıyan granit tepelerin büyüklüğünü gösteriyor..

The images were produced by chipping away the granite surface—which in this region is stained dark by untold years of bacterial growth—to reveal the lighter rock beneath.

Some of the engravings are at usually below the waterline and only visible in seasons when the river is low, while others are located a  short distance away from the banks, on large granite outcrops that stand over the savanna landscape of the river basin. There are also engravings, and occasionally paintings, in natural rock shelters near the river.

Dr José R. Oliver, Reader in Latin American Archaeology at University College London Institute of Archaeology, added: “The engravings are mainly concentrated along a stretch of the Orinoco River called the Atures Rapids, which would have been an important prehistoric trade and travel route.

“We think that they are meant to be seen specifically from the Orinoco because most travel at the time would have been on the river. Archaeology tells us that it was it was a diverse environment and there was a lot of trade and interaction.

“This means it would have been a key point of contact, and so making your mark could have been all the more important because of that – marking out your local identity and letting visitors know that you are here.”

Monumental rock art of a snake tail in Colombia dwarfs the humans in this image.

The research team concludes that it is vital that these monumental rock art sites are protected to ensure their preservation and continued study, with the Indigenous peoples of the Orinoco region central to this process.

Dr Natalia Lozada Mendieta from Universidad de los Andes said: “We’ve registered these sites with the Colombian and Venezuelan national heritage bodies as a matter of course, but some of the communities around it feel a very strong connection to the rock art. Moving forward, we believe they are likely to be the best custodians.”

The research was funded by the Leverhulme Trust, The Society of Antiquaries of London, Universidad de los Andes, the Fundación de Investigaciones Arqueológicas Nacionales (Colombia), and the British Academy.

CHILE, SOUTH AMERICA, WORLD

Gomphothere Butchering Camp Discovered in Chile

Gomphothere Butchering Camp Discovered in Chile

Archaeologists have uncovered a prehistoric site in South America where hunter-gatherers butchered a now-extinct elephant relative more than 12,000 years ago.

A study, published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE, details the excavation and analysis of a recently discovered site in the Tagua Tagua lake region in central Chile.

The site represents a hunter-gatherer camp that the researchers have dated to between 12,440-12,550 years ago.

The site contains a “diverse and exceptional” collection of archaeological remains that is helping to shed light on the lives of the prehistoric hunter-gatherers who once inhabited this region.

Among the most intriguing finds from the site are the fossilized remains of a gomphothere—an extinct relative of modern elephants.

This group of animals roamed the Earth from as early as the end of the Oligocene epoch (around 23 million to 33.9 million years ago) to the late Pleistocene (around 11,700 to 2.6 million years ago) and early Holocene (11,700 years ago to the present) epochs.

Members of this group of animals had features such as trunks and tusks that were similar to those seen in modern elephants. But some gomphothere species had highly specialized teeth that would have helped them feed on certain types of vegetation.

The authors of the study observed signs of butchery on the gomphothere bones of the Tagua Tagua site, which were found alongside stone tools and other remains. The available evidence suggests the site represents a temporary camp that was mainly associated with the hunting of the gomphothere individual and the processing of its large carcass.

But the researchers found further evidence that other activities were carried out at the site as well, even though it was only occupied for a short time. These activities included the processing of other foods, as evidenced by the presence of the additional charred remains of plants and small animals like frogs and birds.

Stock image of an actor reenacting a prehistoric human while hunting. Researchers have shed light on an intriguing prehistoric site in Chile.

The researchers also documented evidence of activities such as the grinding of red ocher—a natural clay earth pigment.

The site was found to contain the fossilized remains of cactus seeds and bird eggshells, indicating that the camp was specifically occupied during the dry season.

The newly discovered prehistoric camp is one of several similar sites that are now known in the Tagua Tagua region, indicating that the area was a “key location” for nomadic hunter-gatherers during the late Pleistocene due to its abundant, diverse, and predictable resources, according to the study.

BOLIVIA, SOUTH AMERICA, WORLD

Mummified remains of Incan ‘Princess’ who died 500 years ago finally returned to Bolivia

Mummified remains of Incan ‘Princess’ who died 500 years ago finally returned to Bolivia

Mummified remains of Incan 'Princess' who died 500 years ago finally returned to Bolivia
In this Aug. 15, 2019 photo, the 500-year-old mummy of an Incan girl sits inside a vault at the National Museum of Archaeology in La Paz, Bolivia. Nicknamed Nusta, a Quechua word for “Princess,” the mummy recently returned to its native Bolivia 129 years after it was donated to the Michigan State University museum in 1890.

A 500-year-old mummy of an Incan girl has been returned to Bolivia some 129 years after it was donated to the Michigan State University Museum, marking what an official says is the first time human remains of archaeological importance have been repatriated to the Andean country.

Known as Ñusta, a Quechua word for “Princess,” the mummy amazes many because of its excellent state of preservation: Its black braids seem recently combed and its hands still cling to small feathers.

Experts say the mummy originally came from a region in the Andean highlands near La Paz during the last years of the Inca civilization.

Radiocarbon tests also have revealed that it dates to the second half of the 15th century, confirming the likelihood that its tomb burial preceded the arrival of Christopher Columbus and the conquest of the Inca by the Spanish.

“Despite the fact that it was given the name Ñusta, or ‘Princess,’ we don’t know if she was really a princess. We will only be able to answer that with DNA studies,” said William A. Lovis, an MSU emeritus professor of anthropology who worked for years to help bring the remains home.

The mummy was returned more than two weeks ago with the assistance of the U.S. embassy in La Paz, and a new study is expected to be carried out by November by Bolivian academics and foreign experts. Until then, accompanying funerary objects will be exhibited to the public during a celebration that pays homage to the dead on Nov. 2.

In this Aug. 15, 2019 photo, a student opens the door to a vault inside the National Museum of Archaeology where the 500-year-old mummy of an Incan girl is being stored in La Paz, Bolivia. Experts say the mummy originally came from a region in the Andean highlands near La Paz during the last years of the Inca civilization.

Culture Minister Wilma Alanoca said that in recent years, the Bolivian government has achieved the repatriation of several archaeological goods that were taken illegally, but this is the first time that a body has been brought back.

“It’s the first time that a body has been recovered, a mummy from the Inca period,” she said.

Still, many mysteries remain unsolved.

The girl, who is thought to have been part of an ethnic Aymara group known as the Pacajes, had originally been placed in a stone tomb along with sandals, a small clay jar, pouches, feathers and several types of plants including maize and coca—perhaps because some Andean civilizations believed that offerings helped the dead transition into the next life.

This Aug. 15, 2019 photo shows a 500-year-old mummy of an Incan girl clinging to bird feathers, inside a vault at the National Museum of Archaeology in La Paz, Bolivia. The girl is believed to have been around 8 years of age when she died. She is also believed to have been part of an ethnic Aymara group known as the Pacajes, which was under Inca control, said William A. Lovis, an MSU emeritus professor of anthropology who worked for years to help return the mummy to the Andean country.
In this Aug. 15, 2019 photo, an anthropology student analyzes bird feathers that were held by the 500-year-old Incan girl mummy now stored at the National Museum of Archaeology in La Paz, Bolivia. The mummy had originally been placed in a stone tomb along with sandals, a small clay jar, pouches, feathers and several types of plants, including maize and coca. Andean civilization used to give offerings to the dead under the belief that it would help their transition into the other life.
In this Aug. 15, 2019 photo, the fingers of a 500-year-old Incan girl mummy holds bird feathers, inside a vault at the National Museum of Archaeology in La Paz, Bolivia. Experts say the mummy originally came from a region in the Andean highlands near La Paz during the last years of the Inca civilization. Radiocarbon tests also have revealed that it’s as old as the second half of the 15th century, confirming the likelihood that its tomb burial predated the arrival of Christopher Columbus and the conquest of the Inca by the Spanish.

“It’s possible that the girl was an important person and that the objects placed with her had as much sacred importance as they had a useful purpose,” said Lovis. “Another possibility is that her death was an Inca sacrifice to appease or an offer to Inca deities.”

Ñusta is believed to have been about 8 years old when she died and was buried in a dress made with threads from llama or alpaca, animals which were domesticated more than 4,000 years ago in the Andes and still roam the highlands of Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Chile.

David Trigo, who heads the National Archaeology Museum in La Paz, said the well-kept objects open new doors into a society that has barely been studied.

“We can say that she was an important member of her ethnic group,” Trigo said, referring to Incan and Aymara traditions of building adobe or stone tombs known as chullpa for elite members of their communities.

For now, the remains are being preserved in a refrigerated chamber at the National Archaeology Museum in downtown La Paz.

BRAZIL, SOUTH AMERICA, WORLD

2,000-Year-Old Rock Art Sites Discovered In Jalapão, Brazil

2,000-Year-Old Rock Art Sites Discovered In Jalapão, Brazil

Scientists have discovered 16 new archaeological sites while investigating a large area in Jalapão, in the eastern part of the state of Tocantins, Brazil.

2,000-Year-Old Rock Art Sites Discovered In Jalapão, Brazil
Mountains in Jalapão, the state of Tocantins, Brazil.

The National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute (Iphan) archaeology team has announced that new archeological sites are believed to contain rock art, including human and animal footprints, engraved symbols, and figures depicting celestial bodies.

The press release issued by Brazil’s Ministry of Culture suggests these artistic expressions were likely created approximately 2,000 years ago.

Archaeologist Rômulo Mac edo from IPHAN  explained that the carved symbols and rock art prominently feature human footprints. Additionally, there are imprints of animals like deer and wild pigs, along with figures that appear to represent celestial bodies.

Tocantins Archaeological Heritage Is Endangered

Recent findings have enriched the archaeological legacy of Tocantins, a state known for its vast potential in archaeological research. The state boasts numerous sites registered by Iphan, many of which are now part of an extensive archaeological complex situated in Jalapão.

These areas have evidence of human settlements dating back to 12,000 years ago and contain pre-colonial archaeological sites that were established prior to the arrival of European colonizers.

Additionally, structures related to archaeology from the past are present, highlighting this region’s significance as a point of contact between the Amazon Forest and Central Brazil’s Cerrado biome.

As infrastructure development grows in the Amazon states, Tocantins has seen a notable surge in archaeological research conducted as part of environmental licensing. This has enabled the gathering of data from previously unexplored archaeological areas.

In this scenario, archaeological work is carried out by firms dedicated to preserving heritage in regions affected by economic activities. Two key actions are prioritized: organizing and sharing knowledge about discovered assets and integrating archaeological considerations into environmental licensing procedures.

New rock art found by archaeologists investigating the Jalapão in Brazil.

Previous studies conducted in the region have indicated that ancient populations favored residing near minor streams and rivers, which are tributaries of the Rio do Sono.

Archaeologists speculate that this choice may have been influenced by the ease of fishing using traps or bows and arrows provided by these smaller water bodies. Additionally, they served as a vital source of water.

Evidence of archaeological sites has been discovered along the Monte Santo and Vermelho rivers and Espingarda, Caracol, Rapadura, Olimpo, Formosa, and Brejão streams.

Regrettably, as highlighted by the IPHAN archaeologist, this cultural asset is under threat due to various factors.

Wind erosion, vandalism, forest fires, and deforestation are among the main threats to the identified sites. To minimize these impacts, Iphan initiated conservation and heritage education actions in the region to protect and promote this Brazilian cultural heritage.

CHILE, SOUTH AMERICA, WORLD

The World’s Oldest Mummies “Chile’s Ancient Mummies Older than Egypt’s”

The World’s Oldest Mummies “Chile’s Ancient Mummies Older than Egypt’s”

The World’s Oldest Mummies “Chile’s Ancient Mummies Older than Egypt’s”

At the beginning of the 20th century, mummies dating back 2000 years before the Egyptians were found in the Atacama Desert of Chile, the driest place in the world.

No, you didn’t read that wrong! Chile’s ancient mummies are thousands of years older than the Egyptians’, with the Chinchorro people mummifying their dead 7,000 years ago.

The remains of hundreds of these marine hunter-gatherers, who lived on the Pacific Coast of the Atacama from around 5450 BCE to 890 BCE, have been discovered in the Arica and Parinacota regions.

The first Chinchorro mummy was documented in 1917 by Max Uhle, a German archaeologist. The earliest mummies were like statues covered with unbaked black clay.

As stated on UNESCO’s page: they successfully adapted to the extreme environmental conditions of a hyper-arid coastal desert in the rugged Coastal Cordillera by using the nearby rich marine resources. Archaeological sites associated with the Chinchorro culture are recognized for having the oldest known artificially mummified human bodies.

Chinchorro mummies, ones of the oldest preserved in the world, at the museum in San Miguel de Azapa, 12 km from Arica, Chile.

In 2021, these cemeteries were inscribed on the Unesco World Heritage List for the immense archaeological value they provide.

They provide insight into the social and spiritual structures of the community in addition to revealing the intricate funeral customs and mortuary practices of the ancient culture. For example, unlike the Egyptians, who reserved mummification for the elite, the Chinchorro offered it as a ritual for everyone.

Chinchorro people mysteriously began mummifying dead babies — removing internal organs, cleaning bones, stuffing and sewing up the skin, and putting wigs and clay masks on them.

The process involved stripping the body of skin and organs, sewing the skin back on, and wrapping the bodies in materials like reeds and sea lion skins. The mummies were then buried in the desert, with hopes that the arid conditions would preserve them forever.

A Chinchorro mummy.

Researchers says high levels of arsenic in the water in the region, which persist to this day, meant more premature births, stillbirths, spontaneous abortions, and higher infant mortality among the Chinchorro.

They posit the Chinchorro began preserving dead babies to express personal and community grief and later began mummifying adults as well, and the practice became more elaborate.

Hundreds of mummies have been uncovered so far, including those of infants and children. The practice lasted more than 3,000 years.

However, climate change is threatening these ancient graves, as unusual weather events expose the bodies to the elements. Efforts are underway to recover and preserve the mummies, which include the construction of a new climate-controlled museum near Africa.