Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Chauchilla Necropolis


20 miles south of Nasca lies a desert plain filled with...bones.
Lots of them. The area was the home of a large number of
burial sites of the Nasca people, dating over 1000 years old.
Over the centuries, grave robbers left the bones while taking
everything else. The local government has tried to restore the
site as an educational open air museum of sorts in a rather
macabre way.


The authorities have set everything up as closely as possible to
how their ancestors would have positioned them.


There are still whole bones and fragments lying everywhere!


Some crypts only contain partial bodies.


Mummies of babies have also been found (lower right corner of photo).


This stuff could keep you awake at night!


If it weren't for the cemetery, this might be a beautiful landscape.


The most intact mummy is kept in a small museum at the entrance.

2 comments:

Michelle said...

You know, I know it's a landmark and such, but I just now know I don't want to see that.

Anonymous said...

Fascinating stuff Tom. Keep it coming!