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____ Chachapoyas Peru ____
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Iyacyecuj: Mummy Cave discovery in Chachapoyas
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Iyacyecuj Archaeological Find
"Enchanted Water" Ruins
July 06, 2006
Peter Lerche heads up archaeology team to protect 600-year-old underground cemetery. Discoveries include five mummies, two of which are intact with skin and hair, as well as ceramics, textiles and wall paintings.
Under the direction of Dr. Lerche and Julio Cesar with archaeologists from Peru's
INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE CULTURA (INC), a support team of USA cavers, and local porters and horsemen the expedition succeeded in securing and protecting the new archaeological site.
Private donations from PeruPeru.com provided funding for the expedition with the support of local businesses and the INC.
Investigations included 5 caves, stone paved pre-Hispanic trails, archaeological centers like Cachimichi (pre Inca) and Corobamba (probably Inca-colonial).
In the field, the team had two local guides, one additional temporary guide, and horseman. They used seven horses for transporting of equipment . The team left Chachapoyas on June 16, 2006, by microbus and arrived in San Carlos late in the evening. After a short meeting with the local authorities, informing them about the project the team was in the field from June 17 to June 27.
The archaeological remains existing in the 5 caves were registered. Thousands of potsherds, some intact ceramics, stone-chambers (tombs), hundreds of other artifacts made of organic material, hundreds of bones/human remains.
The 820-feet deep cave (250-meter) was used for burial and worship by the Chachapoyas People, known as the "Cloud People".
Walls in the limestone cave near the mummies were covered with wall paintings of faces and warrior-like figures that may have been drawn to ward off intruders and evil spirits.
Locals call the cave Iyacyecuj, or "Enchanted Water" in Quechua, because of its spiritual importance and its underground rivers.
Three mummies were rescued and stored in the municipality of San Carlos. On June 28 the team had another meeting not only with the local political authorities, but with approximately 50 members of the community of San Carlos.
The team gave recommendations to the local community concerning the protection and conservation of their archaeological patrimony and gave some ideas on how to organize tourism.
For example, the nearby waterfall of Gocta is visited almost daily by tourists. Instead of tourists returning to Chachapoyas, the communities of San Pablo, San Carlos and Cuispes should fix the pre-Hispanic stone paved road system and offer trips to caves, archaeological sites, intact forests with different specimens of animals.
On June 29 the team was back in Chachapoyas-town.
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