part 59 of the series "Monster walls, mummies and mysteries" of
Walter-Jörg Langbein ,
released on 06/03/2011  |
Precious Mask of Sipan
photo: Walter-Jörg Langbein |
It seems to me like I was on the way to a distant planet somewhere in the vastness of the universe. The sun is powerful from the sky ... on bone-dry desert soil. Bizarre hills attract my attention. They look very old. Wind and weather have left their mark. Deep furrows on the sides of the hills can be as fantastic Sculptures imaginatively gifted artist. On the horizon I see a small group of poorly dressed men. With pick and shovel it back to the rock-hard ground at bay. There are grave robbers. A few years ago this industry was carried out only at night. Today, more and more looters also active during the day. Compared to the gold-hungry Spaniards, the indigenous looters, however worthy, harmless fellow. In the 16th
Century, the Spaniards were plundering and killing in South America. They destroyed the huge empire of the Incas who once ruled over a vast area. Their empire included the present one realm Chile and Peru in the south as far north as Ecuador and Colombia to the north. To date, only a small part of the trail of the Incas has been explored scientifically. In the desert regions of Ecuador and Peru to wait out huge areas examined by researchers to be. The Grabräuberei in some regions, often one of the most important sources of revenue for the local population. And because the sites are very interesting behind areas, they can not be really protected.
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if the dead could talk ...
Photo: Walter-Jörg Langbein |
police officers earn in the Usually so little that they engage themselves to pick and shovel to wrest hidden treasures of the earth from the days of the Incas. The grave robbers see in the right: Why should we allow foreign archeologists to excavate the treasures of their ancestors? Did they, as descendants, even as heirs to the Incas not much more possessive?
In the colonial period (16th century) locals toiled for the English viceroy. The grave robbers, known as Huaqueros, ancient cemeteries ransacked from pre-Inca times. They dug deep holes and underground tunnels, in the hope of rich booty. In the corridors settled soon poisonous scorpions, whose Bite many a Grabfledderer life cost. Others were miserable in the collapse of the tunnel killed. So magical rituals were developed that would protect the grave robbers. Sun, killed a dog and buried him as a "gift to the gods," not far from the planned excavation. The locals wore an enormous risk, the profits raked in by the English viceroy. The most valuable finds was melted down and pulped. In bar form, they were taken to Europe ...
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pyramids of Sipan
Photo: Walter-Jörg Langbein |
discovered from June 1987 to July 1988 Archaeologists in Sipan, about 800 kilometers north of Lima located, gold treasures in secret graves. You were once a ruler of the Moche, ie from before the Incas. The sensational findings were compared with the treasures of the Pharaoh Tutankhamun ... acting under a strange pyramid.
people think of "pyramid", so come one those from Egypt to mind. Cheops pyramid as some left seem to have been built to last. The builders of Sipan were not, however, quarries as their Egyptian colleagues. They had their very demanding construction projects "adobe" Baking: dried mud bricks. Unimaginable Masses of "adobe" produced by true working army, to build giant pyramid complexes.
In Egypt, says an ancient proverb: "Everyone is afraid of the time. And the time is afraid of the pyramids, "has, unlike the pyramids of Egypt as that of Cheops gnawed the ravages of time much more clearly on the once monumental buildings of the Moche. The former giants are sometimes impossible to detect as artificial structures. At a depth of more than five meters, found the tombs of the Prince of Sipan. Five feet in some concrete hard desert soil protect the tombs and the precious gifts of gold, almost two millennia. Grave robbers have it overlooked. They had discovered the royal crypt certainly, they were not before the archeologists arrived.
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reconstruction of Sipan system
Photo: Walter-Jörg Langbein
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Pedro, one of the most grave robbers on the spot, told me at one of my visits, "The ancient graves are under the protection of the gods. Many a colleague ignored this one must not offend the gods. They need to sacrifice to make it weighed, "is most frequently donated to the gods alcohol poured on the desert floor , before starting the ditch. "Impious people must expect the worst when they dig in the desert .... Archaeologists like my colleagues, "For today's archaeologists are grave robbers just annoying competition.
are not interested in archaeological grave robbers. You are precious finds from. Mummies be broken in order to steal their jewelry. Dead bones are thrown carelessly to the side. Sometimes, the attentive visitor discovered in the desert dust one or the other skull ....
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skull in the desert
Photo: Walter-Jörg Langbein |
What was the name of the mighty man whose dead rest neither by grave robbers, was still disturbed by archaeologists? We do not know. He was commonly referred to as "Señor de Sipan", ie, as "Lord of Sipan. Gladly we dubbed him "as a" prince. Walter Alva, then director of the Bruning "Museum of Lambayaque, it has rescued almost two millennia after his death to oblivion. The unnamed ruler was not alone in his tomb. As he had been accompanied by some of his concubines and several subordinates with where on the way to the afterlife. It is believed that these people were sacrificed.
In addition to graves were among other high ranking personalities and personal priest of the princes and the head of his troops buried. Should be taken care of once mighty dead in the afterlife optimal: spiritually and militarily. For the immense importance of the "central" dead speaks the preciousness of the grave goods. Of gold was not truly saved!
Unfortunately, there is no written legacies from the time of the Prince of Sipan. So we have to rely on the interpretation of Cheramiken that have been found as grave goods in abundance. Actually, we understand the ancient myths probably never, which may have been told about two millennia. Since the central Person (it is the Lord of Sipan?) From a bird of prey like a bucket being passed. The monstrous creature apparently has just handed the cup to get a woman. This could be a reference to at least a very important role of the priestess in the mysteries of Sipan.
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The Lord of Sipan accompanied
Photo: Walter-Jörg Langbein |
On one of my visits to Sipan I even, in a rickety ladder made of wood one of the rise to deep burial. The approval gave me a rather unofficial-looking "Guardian" against the payment of a "small fee allowed." The fee for a photo was so horrendously high that I had to do without it.
I saw on a pitcher a frightening illustration of a human sacrifice. A monster-like predator-like creature and a woman added two prisoners cut wounds to the neck. The blood spurting out, they began with shells.
How many of these ceramic objects may still lie dormant in Peru's desert floor? As many may already have been found by grave robbers and sold to wealthy private collectors: in particular? One may criticize the activities of these looters sharp. However is important to remember that rich Americans and Europeans and members other civilized countries, the fund with its demand for the precious objects Grabräuberei. If there were no demand, there would be no grave robbers!
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The Jars of Sipan
Photo: Walter-Jörg Langbein |
From the air it looks as though the site of Sipan was bombed heavily. Giant seems to be the area that has been honored with countless bombs. Deep funnel disfigure the face of the earth like bomb craters. The holes are sometimes up to ten meters deep .... torn by grave robbers in the desert floor and left. The world of Sipan was
must be rich .... There must have been gold in abundance. The history of the pyramid builders, we know very little. And what's in science books .... is very often formulated only sober speculation. And those who knew the secrets of the ancient culture ... they are silent. Written records they have left no .... Will we ever know how life on "Fürstenhof" looked from Sipan? Will we ever know who believed in gods and goddesses of the people?
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Gold Sipan
Photo: Walter-Jörg Langbein |
One seems to be sure that women have played a very important role at that time have ..... in religion!
