Gas workers uncover 1,000-year-old mummy in Peru / Photo: CONNIE FRANCE - AFP
Gas workers uncover 1,000-year-old mummy in Peru
A crew of workers accidentally discovered a mummy more than 1,000 years old while installing gas pipes in Peru's capital Lima, their employer and archaeologists said Thursday.
The mummy was found last week in a tomb underneath a street north of Lima, said archaeologist Jesus Bahamonde.
The mummy was covered in a shroud in a seated position, arms and legs bent.
Pottery was also found in the tomb which was dated to the pre-Inca Chancay civilization that lived around the Lima region between the 11th and 15th centuries.
It was believed to be part of a large, ancient cemetery.
Lima, a city with over 10 million inhabitants, also houses more than 500 archaeological sites.
Gas company Calidda has reported more than 2,200 chance archaeological discoveries since 2004.
A.Rossi--GdR
