During the excavation before construction, the workers of the labor repeatedly find treasures of inestimable value to humanity. One of these cases happened when they found the remains of Wayau, the 600 year old woman.
They found Wayaw in Lima
The discovery took place in the city of Lima in Peru. Workers were digging in a street to install a gas network. This discovery took place in 2018, but the archaeological studies were not presented until 2020. It is a young woman, around 20 years old, 1.48 m tall and died of natural causes. He lived in the Inca Empire about 600 years ago, a conclusion that archaeologists came to by digitally reconstructing his face.
The delay in investigating such a great finding was due to the coronavirus pandemic. According to experts, the remains of Wayaw, the 600-year-old woman, are a link between today’s residents and their Inca ancestors.
Name and characteristics of Wayaw who lived 600 years ago
The archaeologists called it Wayaw, which means willow in the Quechua language. The name comes from the residents of the place where the remains were found, San Juan de Lurigancho. It is a district in the north of Lima, very populated, although there are thousands of precarious houses on the hills.
The archaeologists found that the young woman’s skull was deformed. However, this was a custom among the Inca peoples of ancient Peru. Splints, ropes and headscarves were placed on the head, especially in childhood, in order to shape his facial features. The studies carried out on Wayaw resulted in her not belonging to the Inca elite, but a craftswoman, perhaps a weirdo.
Today’s residents preserve customs that were typical of Wayau, the 600-year-old woman
Today the residents of the place keep alive many of the techniques that were used in the Inca Empire. From the study of the wear and tear of the bones of the hips and shoulders, it could therefore be concluded that fabrics were made that were highly valued in ancient Peru.
Wayaw was found in a fetal position and buried with items found next to her. Some fabrics, a silver brooch and shell bracelets. It was a very used custom of that time. The young woman had an elongated face, plump lips and an aquiline nose and belonged to a people who were conquered by the Incas between the 15th and 16th centuries.
The workers who made the discovery immediately informed the archaeologists of the company they work for. In Peru, all excavation companies are required to use the services of a team of archaeologists.
It is very common for discoveries of pre-Columbian culture to be made while working on the coast and in the surrounding area. The remains are handed over to the Peruvian Ministry of Culture. You will decide where to display such an exceptional find.
