Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Peruvian Female Warrior Mummy

she ruled
read the national geographic story
photos

The tattooed mummy's tomb was dated at about A.D. 450 by conducting radiocarbon dating on the rope around her sacrifice victim's neck. Only one of the three other graves sharing her patio mausoleum contained a sacrifice victim as well, and radiocarbon dating on that victim's strangulation rope estimates the grave to be from 250-350. This would make at least one of the three other tombs older than the tattooed mummy's. Since the remaining two graves in the patio do not contain any material that can be tested by radiocarbon dating, it is unknown when they were dug, although archaeologists can estimate by matching pottery styles to previously dated grave goods found at other Moche burials.

—Emily Krieger