(1907) Peruvian Mummies and What They Teach

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AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

Peruvian Mummies

By CHARLES W. MEADDepartment of Ethnology

GUIDE LEAFLET NO. 24MARCH, 1907


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Peruvian MummiesAND WHAT THEY TEACH

A GUIDE TO EXHIBITS IN THE PERUVIAN HALL

By CHARLES W. MEADDEPARTMENT OF ETHNOLOGY

NO. 24OF THE

GUIDE LEAFLET SERIESOF THEAMERICAN MUSEUn OF NATURAL HISTORY

EDMUND OTIS HOVEY, EDITORNew York. Published by the fluseum. .'larch, 1907


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NORTH

PERUVIAN HALL NO. 302.Gallery Floor, West Wing.

PRESENT LOCATION OF THE OBJECTS DESCRIBED IN THISLEAFLET.

CASE]Muiiiiny bundles . . U 27Mummies . . . . . . . . . . . U 27Prayer sticks ........... R 4-5Mummified animals . . . . . . . . . U 27Tre])hined skulls . . . . . . . . . . LT 26Skull Collection U 26Implements of war and the chase . . . . . . . U 21(Jold and silver objects ......... ABaskets, mats and nets ........ R 17-18Cloths U 1ISIaterials and implements used in weaving ..... BQuipus, or Record Fringes . . . . . . . .Rl,2Coca leaves and outfit for chewing . . . . . . R 11Pottery U 9, 10, 11, 12 and D, E, FChicha jars . . . . .On toj) of U 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 27Collection from the West Indies . . . . . . . U 2^Musical Instruments . . . . . . . . . U 25"U" refers to the upright cases; "R," to the railing cases.

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PERUVIAN MUMMIES AND WHAT THEY TEACH.By Ciimu.ks \V. .Mkvd,

Depart mini oj Etlitiologij.

VS(\\\\'V Peru, the hiiid of the lueiis, euniprised notonly the re^iion incliuleil within the present Republicof Peru, but also the greater part of Ecuador, Boliviaand Chile and was about equal to that portion of theUnited States Iviny; east of the Rockv Mountains. TheIncas proper were a powerful tribe of warlike people

inhal)itini>; the (>Teat central plateau, from which dominating positionthey extended their conquest in all directions. They developed amuch higher order of civilization than was foiuid in other parts of thecontinent by the early European explorers, and the empire under theirsway included many tribes speaking difi'erent dialects.The historv of the Ancient Peruvians must to a large de{):ree be readin their graves, since they left no written records and the Spanish con-queror destroved many of their cities and suppressed their customs.Like many other peoples the Peruvians bestowed nuuli tender care ontheir dead, carefully preparing them for burial and placing with themin the ground many objects which were dear to thciu in life. Methodsof burial are so intimatelv connected with the reli":ioiis andother customs of a people that in the absence of other Importance . . , , , of thesources of mtormntion a study ot graves or tombs may be Burialsexpected to lead to important results. Fortunately foi- thearcha'ologist, climatic conditions in some parts of Peru ai-c such that"burials" have been well pi'cserved. The region west of the Peru-vian Cordillera, a narrow strip idong the coast, is in the main a desert.the only fertile spots being the narrow valleys of the small rivei-s flow-ing dow'n to the Pacific' 'I'he tombs and graves are usually foundon elevated ])laces outside of the valleys where the extreme drvness ofthe air combines wiili tiie nitrons character of the ^and, into whichmoisture has seldom found its way. to ih-siccate and prescixc the bodiesof the dead thus nnnnmifying them nalnralb. The same factors have

'The \isit()r is rclericil to tlic wWvi iiia|) dI Soiiili Aiiicrii'a on tlu' Ktt as lu'enters the hall tor a dear exposition of the topographic features of the rt'gioii.


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8 AMERICAX MUSEUM GUIDE LEAFLETScaused the clothing and objects pUiced with the dead to l)e preserved formany centuries.

As a rule the bodies were })repare(l for burial by placing them in asitting position with the knees drawn up and the head and hands restingU{)on them, as is shown in the right-hand figure on page 0. Sometimes,

however, as appears from burials in the Chira Valley, infor Burial '''^ extreme northwest of Peru, the body was extended at

full length. A few of the extended bodies have been foundin other ]>arts of the country, and two examples of this form from Surco,Peru, are in the collection. After the body was placed in position, itwas enveloped in wra})})ings of various kinds. Sometimes the V)ody wascovered with fine cotton cloth, over which were placed finely wovenblankets or ponchos of the wool of the vicuna or the alpaca, withdesigns in various colors.

The body and its wrappings were bountl together by a net-work ofstout cord of vegetable fibre; by a piece of strong cloth sewed togetherin the form of a closed sack, or in some localities bv a casing; of wovenrushes. The "mummy bundle" was surmounted by the so-called"false head," which was sewed to its upper surface. The significanceof this practice is unknown. These false heads, many of which arepresent in the collection, were made of cloth and filled with differentvegetable substances. The face was represented in various ways:

sometimes by a mask of wood or clay, but often the eyes, noseBundles ^"^^ mouth were made of wood, shell, gold or silver and fast-

ened directly to the cloth by means of thread. To the out-side of the mummy bundle were often attached several of the prayersticks or sepulchral tablets which are frequently found in considerablenmnbers in the sand about the grave. These are either in the formof a cross wound with variously colored yarns, or a framework of sphtreeds, covered with cloth upon which rude designs are painted. Favor-ite animals were sometimes buried with the dead as is shown by themununified bodies of a dog and a parrot in the collection.

The manner of interment of the mummy bundle and its accompani-ments differed in various localities. Tn the coast region many of theHuacas "T'lumies are found in little vaults, or "huacas," of adobes or

flat .stones roofed with sticks or canes, overlaid with mats or alayer of rushes, which prevented the earth covering from filling thegrave. These vaults usuallv contain from one to four Ixxlics.


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>QOCQQUJ53>e in Peru and onaccount of the nieagreness of the descriptions left by the first Europeanswho visited the country, it is fortunate for the student of Peruvian archje-ology that the potter often represented by the shape of his vessel or in its

POTTERY VESSEL WITH PAINTED DECORATION

decoration forms and customs which were familiar to him in his evciy-day life.

Representations of the human figure arc connuon. Some of theseshow the manner of wearing the poncho and other articles of clothing.Some have in the lobe of the ear the large cylindrical car-oi-nameiUswhich led the Spaniards to nickname these j)eople "()i'e-jones" big ears. It would be im])ra('ticable, however, to Humanfiguresmention here more than a few of the subjects depicted. ( )none vessel a man piu'sues and kills a deer with a spear; on anothei- ahunter is returm'n


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20 AMKlilC.lX Mi SECM cl'lDE LEAFLETSders. Some jars show tlie manner of ('atcliini>; fish In- means of hookand Hue, while others portray men and women carrying water jars andother hnrdens by means of a strap passing around the forehead. Herewe see a man with liis favorite l)ird, evidently of the parrot family,perched upon his shoulder; there a dance in progress, with several ofthe figures playing upon nuisical instruments.

These potters were very fond of moulding their clay into animalforms, and they have left us more or less truthful representations ofmany of the species familiar to them. Their favorite models appear tohave l)een the puma, jaguar, monkey, llama, Guinea-pig,figures lizards, birds of the parrot family, the king vulture and anumber of shells and vegetable forms. A complete list wouldinclude most of the animal and many of the vegetable forms of Peru.

Everywhere, except in the most elevated parts of the country, maizewas not only the staple food of the people, but also was the source oftheir favorite intoxicating beverage, chicha; hence it was but naturalthat they should so often represent the grain on their vessels. This

was very simplv and perfectlv accomplished. A mould wasChicha , "^ ^ ' , ,' , i , ,. , tmade from an ear oi corn and dried m the sun or hred. Intothis clay \vas pressed; which on ])eing removed would be a facsimile ofthe ear. This was joined to the jar while both were still in a plastic-condition, after which the whole was fired and polished. A corn jaris represented in the illustration on page 17.

Although this guide relates chiefly to burials, it may not be out ofplace to call attention to some peculiarities of Peruvian skulls. Theskulls of all races are of great scientific value, but those of Peru are ofparticular interest, because many of them bear the marks of surgical or

sacrificial operations. The Museum collection of Peruvian, .. skulls is so extensive that only a representative series is on

exhibition. This contains many examples show^ing tre-phining, artificial deformation and pathological conditions, togetherwith several normal Peruvian skulls for ])m'poses of comparison.

In Peru, where stones from slings and wooden clubs with heads ofstone and copper were the common oft"ensi\-e weapons, complex fracturesof the skull with depression of its bony plates must have been common.There seems no reason to (loul)t that trephining was resorted to as ameans of relief in such fractures, and that sometimes cures w'ere effectedby this treatment. It is also prol)able that the o])eration in many


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MEAD, PERUVIAN MUMMfFS 23cases was a part of some religious ceremonial, since some of the tre-phined skulls in the collection show distinct orientation of the woundand j)resent no indication of lesion. Implements of copper and bronzeand knives of stone and obsidian must have been employed in the opera-tion, which was performed with skill.

Artificial deformation of the head was extensively practised in ancientPeru and w^as accomplished by means of ligatures ai)plied in infancy.The form taken by the head was determined by the manner in whichthese bindings were applietl. The pathological skulls show tiie ravagesof disease in the bones of the cranium.

THE QUIPU.The Quipu is a fringe consisting of a main cord w'ith other cords

of various colors hanging from it. In the fringe knots of different kindswere tied. The ancient Peruvians, having no written language, madeuse of the (juipu to keep their accounts and ])ossibly to record historicincidents. By the color of the cord, the kind of knot, the distance ofthe knots from the main cord and from each other, many facts couldhe recorded and preserved. The maker of a cjuipu had a system whichwas to a great extent arbitrary, and which had to be explained when the(piipu was ])laced in the keeping of another.

COCA CHEWL\(;.The coca ])Iant {KrtjiJn-o.vijloii coca. Lam.) grows wild in tlic moun-

tainous regions of Pern and Bolivia and was cultivated before the ('on-(piest, as it is to-day, in districts from 2,()()() to r),()()() feet above the sea.It is valued for its stimulating narcotic ])roperties, and the j)resentIndians will often carry heavy burdens for several days without food,if furnished with a plentiful ^np|)ly of coca. The leaves are gatheredand dried in the sun and then chewed mixed with nnslacketl lime inthe same way the betel is used by the Kast Indians. A bag of cocateaves is almost always found witli a nnninny. The leaves of this plant,together with the cloth bags in which they were carried and llic gonidflasks containing lime may be seen in tiie collection.


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24 AMERICAN MUSEUM GUIDE LEAFLETSINIISCELLANEOUS EXHIBITS.

This gallerv' contains many exhibits, some of them very important,of which no special mention has been made, since it is believed that thecase labels and the guide leaflets attached to the cases will furnishthe desired information to the student and visitor. Among these maybe mentioned the collection from the West Indies, the musical instru-ments of the Incas, the case containing a great variety of animal formsin ])ottery; collections of feather-work from Peru, Bolivia, Paraguayand Brazil, and the collection from Columbia consisting of many objectsin pottery, stone and shell.

BIBLIOGRAPHY.The followiny; books will be found useful to those who w^ish to

study South American Archaeology and they may be consulted on ap-plication to the librarian of the Museum.Vega, Garcilasso de la. The Royal Commentaries of Peru. Ed.

Rycaut, Lcjudon, 1688.Cieza de Leon, Pedro de. Chronicle of Peru, Part I. (Hakluyt Society.)London, 1864.Andagoya, Pascual de. Narrative of the Proceedings of Pedrarias

Davila. (Hakluyt Society.) London, 1865.Prescott, William H. History of the Conquest of Peru. London, 1847.Herndon and Gibbon. Exploration of the Valley of the Amazon.

Washington, 1853.Frezier, IVIoNSiEUR. A Voyage to the South Sea and iVlong the Coastof Chili and Peru. Ivondon, 1717.

WiivMi'EK, Edward. Travels Amongst the Great Andes of the Equator.New York, 1892.Hutchinson, Thomas, Jr. Two Years in Peru, with Explorations of its

Antifjuities. London, 1873.Squier, E. G. Incidents of Travels and Explorati(Mis in the L;ind of tlieIncas. New Y(jrk, 1877.

Wiener, Charles. Perou et Bolivic Paris, 1880.Reiss and Stuebel. The Necropolis of Ancon. Ed. Keane, New York,1887.B/ESsler, Arthur. Ancient Peruvian Art. New York, 1903.Stuebel and Uhle. Die Ruinenstiltte von Tiahuanaco. Breslau, 1892.Holmes, William H. Textile Art in its Relation to the Development ofForm and Ornament. Annual H('])()rt liureau Amer. Ethnology,1884-85.Stuebel, Reiss and Koppel. Siidamerikanische Volker. (Alte Zeit.)

Berlin,y889.


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The American Huseum JournalEdmuxd Otis Hovey, Editor

Frank M. Chapman, ]Louis P. Ghatacap. i Advisory BoardWilliam K. Grkgoky, J.Sulj.sciiption, One Dollar per year. Fifteen Cents per copy

A subscription to the Journal is included in the membership fees of all classes ofMembers of the Museum.

Subscriptions should be addressed to the American ^Museum Journal,30 Bolyston St., Cambridge, ^lass., or 77th St., and

Central Park West, New York City.

The Guide Leaflet Seriesof the

ajsiericax museum of natural historyIssued as supplements to The American Museum Journal

P'or Sale at the MuseumNo 1. THE BIRD ROCK GROUP. By Frank M. Chapman. Associate Curator

of .Maiiiiiialniry and ( )niitholoffy. Oftober, 1!)(H. Price. 10 cetits.No. 2. THE SAGINAW VALLEY COLLECTION. \W Hahlan I. Smith,

As>i>taiit ( 'iiratoi- ot Ariliaiildtjy. 1 Icccmber, 1901. Price, 10 cents.No 3. THE HALL OF FOSSIL VERTEBRATES. By W. D. Matthew, Ph.D.,Assistant Curatdr of X'crlcbratc Paladiitology. JanuarJ^ I'.IO'J. Outof print.

No. 4. THE COLLECTION OF MINERALS. By Louis P. (Ihatacap, A. M..Curator ol .Mincialo^y. lv\>.. I'.IOL'. Rev. cditiun. May, 1904. Price,10 rents.

No. 5. NORTH AMERICAN RUMINANTS I'.y J. A. Ai.ikn, Ph.D.. Curatorof Mammalogy and ( rnii lioiogy. Mar. 190-J. Per. (


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No. 6. THE ANCIENT BASKET MAKERS OF SOUTHEASTERN UTAH. By(iEuKUE 11. Pki'I'KU, As.-i.staut. in Anthropology. Apr., 1".J02. Price.10 cenl:

Documents

(1907) Peruvian Mummies and What They Teach