Archaeologists have found 1,700-year-old skeletons in Peru that were missing some bones, as they were used to create jewelry.
Found 32 skeletons in Peru, belonging to the Moche and Lambayeque cultures, were missing parts of the lower limbs. Scientists believe that these people, many of whom were children, used bones to make jewelry. The practice was common in ancient civilizations, and small leg bones were often transformed into medallions worn by surviving family members. The researchers also unearthed 60 large urns covered with blankets, which contained the remains of alpacas, llamas and guinea pigs. Some of the tombs contained looms and tools for making textiles from bone.
“Of the 32 graves, 23 belong to the end of the Moche culture, and nine to Lambayeca (Sikan). The first developed between 100 and 700 AD. The name comes from a place in the valley of the same name, which was the central city for the Moche people. The people were characterized by the production of complex ceramics and jewelry,”the scientists noted.