ANCASH, PERU—A fifteenth-century tomb from the Chimú culture, which had been conquered by the Inca, has been discovered at the Samanco archaeological complex. The multi-chambered tomb contained the remains of at least four elite musicians and weavers, in addition to the remains of two people who had been sacrificed for burial. Artifacts from the tomb include copper crescent knives; jewelry made of lapis lazuli, turquoise, quartz, and spondylus shells; wooden figurines; ceramic vessels filled with food and drink; llamas; musical instruments; and textiles. “This is one of the very few Chimú-Inca tombs ever excavated. It reveals interesting details about the coastal Andean world just prior to European contact,” said Matthew Helmer of the University of East Anglia.
