Mysterious Mummies

Arriaza (1995b) defines the Chinchorro as a precermaic, premetallurgic fishing culture of the Andean coast, spreading from South Peru to North Chile, within the period of 7020-1110 BCE. The Chinchorro are known for having cared for their dead through artificial mummification and they have the oldest artificial mummies known at an age of about 7,000 years. All of their dead are thought to have been mummified no matter age, sex or gender. Their practices of artificial mummification occurred from around 5050-1720 BCE. Their mummification practices increased through time before facing an eventual decline. They buried their dead in extended positions with legs flexed or semi-flexed. Grave goods were few and non-lavish, mostly related to subsistence. There is some controversy around how exactly to define Chinchorro culture and we are indeed imposing modern categories on the past. Still, Arriaza feels this definition of the characteristics of Chinchorro culture shows biological and social continuity (1995b).

 

The Chinchorro environment existed between the Pacific Coast and Atacama desert within the fertile coast. There was an abundance of food and they ate mostly marine animals according to a 1992 isotope analysis of 62 Chinchorro from 4000-2000 BCE. These maritime subsistence systems were stable for thousands of years (Arriaza 1995a).

 

They lived in small sedentary societies with formal cemeteries. These cemeteries might contain a few to a hundred plus mummies buried side by side in groups. Many cemeteries are known to have been reused over time as they contain mummies from different time periods. Cemeteries were purposely placed on the slopes of hills at higher elevations, helping to keep the dead safe from the tidal waves of the region (Arriaza 1995a).

 

Other characteristics of the Chinchorro include a likely sexual division of labor due to noted differences in osteoarthritis and external auditory exostosis (associated with cold water diving) (Arriaza 1995a). The finding of long bones at different sites also provides clues for what might have been their spiritual practices. The presence of these bones in later local cultures been associated with spiritual transes as the bones are used as containers for hallucinogenic powders (Arriaza 1995a).