El Castillo de Huarmey facts for kids
El Castillo de Huarmey is a special place on the coast of Peru. It looks a bit like a pyramid. This site is north of Lima, in the Ancash Region. The most important discovery here was a Wari mausoleum, which is a large tomb. What made it so special was that it was found completely untouched!
In 2013, archaeologists found a royal Wari tomb at El Castillo de Huarmey. This tomb held 60 bodies, including three important Wari women. This amazing find changed how we understand the Wari people in Peru. The area around the tomb is about 45 hectares (110 acres). For many years, people tried to steal treasures from here. The team named the site after the Wari Empire, which was a powerful ancient culture. To keep it safe from thieves, the excavation of El Castillo de Huarmey was done secretly in 2013.
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Finding the Hidden Tomb
How the Discovery Began
In January 2010, a team led by Milosz Giersz started their search. They used special cameras and tools to look underground. They saw what looked like a hidden tomb. It was on a ridge between two other pyramid-like structures. This ridge had been used by tomb robbers to dump their trash for a long time.
Uncovering the Royal Chamber
In September 2012, the team found a stone throne room. This was a very exciting discovery! Below this room, they found a chamber. It was sealed by many heavy stones. This showed that something important was hidden inside.
The Amazing Royal Tomb
Who Found It?
The royal tomb was finally discovered in early 2013. A team from Peru and Poland found it. Milosz Giersz from Poland's University of Warsaw led the team. Roberto Pimentel Nita was also a co-director. The National Geographic Society helped pay for the important work.
Treasures Inside the Tomb
The tomb held 1,200 amazing items! These included shiny gold earrings and bronze axes. There was also jewelry made of copper and silver. They even found beautiful silver bowls.
The Wari People Buried There
Inside the tomb, archaeologists found 60 human bodies. They were buried in rows and were sitting upright. Their clothes were very old and falling apart. In three smaller rooms, they found the bodies of three royal Wari women. These women had special items buried with them. These items included gold tools used for weaving cloth.
Milosz Giersz said this was the "first unearthed royal imperial tomb of the Wari." This means it was the first time a tomb of a Wari ruler was found untouched. The many valuable items in this tomb show how powerful the Wari people were. It also shows how much they controlled this part of northern Peru. Giersz also found clues that the royal bodies were sometimes taken out of the tomb. This was probably for special events during the Wari era. It shows that the Wari people honored their royal ancestors.
Images for kids
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A robot for kids.
See also
In Spanish: Castillo de Huarmey para niños
