For archaeologists, finding an ancient tomb is one thing. Finding one that has remained sealed for nearly 600 years is far more unusual, because the objects inside can still be studied alongside the people they were buried with, preserving clues that are often lost when graves are looted.
That is what makes a newly uncovered burial platform at Chan Chan in northern Peru so important. The almost intact tomb contains the remains of at least 38 people, along with weapons, metal objects, jewelry and textiles dating to the final centuries of the Chimú civilization. Together, the remains and artifacts could offer researchers an unusually detailed look at how this powerful pre-Inca society buried its elite, organized its hierarchy and understood death.
