DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - Aquatic Tomb in Peru May Have Provided a Direct Route to the Afterlife

**BqTyG9eS** · 08-22-2012, 06:27 PM

Lambayeque Tomb.jpg

Archaeologists in Peru have excavated the grave of an important noble from the Lambayeque culture, dating to the 12th or 13th centuries AD. It was discovered about eight miles west of the city of Chiclayo on Peru's northern coast.

The individual (of presently undetermined sex) was buried with dozens of offerings, signifying high rank in the Lambayeque culture, including an ornate chest plate made of gold, silver and copper. The figure was found buried below the only known female from the culture to have been entombed in a similar elaborate style.

What makes the tomb especially interesting is that it was deliberately dug below the water table, thereby flooding it. Archaeologists believe that this reflected the importance of water to the Lambayeque culture. In many traditional communities, water is seen as the route to the otherworld and also the afterlife. The excavators speculate that this burial may have been of a religious specialist. He or she may therefore have been afforded a direct route to the afterlife via the water in the tomb.

The link provides a video highlighting the excavation of the tomb http://tv.ibtimes.com/archaeologists...peru/7369.html

08-22-2012, 06:27 PM	#1
BqTyG9eS Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 547 Senior Member	Aquatic Tomb in Peru May Have Provided a Direct Route to the Afterlife Lambayeque Tomb.jpg Archaeologists in Peru have excavated the grave of an important noble from the Lambayeque culture, dating to the 12th or 13th centuries AD. It was discovered about eight miles west of the city of Chiclayo on Peru's northern coast. The individual (of presently undetermined sex) was buried with dozens of offerings, signifying high rank in the Lambayeque culture, including an ornate chest plate made of gold, silver and copper. The figure was found buried below the only known female from the culture to have been entombed in a similar elaborate style. What makes the tomb especially interesting is that it was deliberately dug below the water table, thereby flooding it. Archaeologists believe that this reflected the importance of water to the Lambayeque culture. In many traditional communities, water is seen as the route to the otherworld and also the afterlife. The excavators speculate that this burial may have been of a religious specialist. He or she may therefore have been afforded a direct route to the afterlife via the water in the tomb. The link provides a video highlighting the excavation of the tomb http://tv.ibtimes.com/archaeologists...peru/7369.html
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