Vessel with Abstract Feline Mask and Bird-Head Spout

Much of our knowledge of the cultural life of the Paracas is based on the excavations of a large coastal necropolis first explored by the Peruvian archaeologist Julio Tello in the 1920s. The necropolis at Wari Kayan consisted of many large underground burial chambers, each containing an average of 40 mummies. It is thought that each chamber belonged to a different family or clan and was used for many generations. Each mummy was tied to its place with a rope and then wrapped in several layers of richly decorated cloth. These cloths are considered some of the finest examples of pre-Columbian art. The dead were usually buried in a sitting position with their knees drawn up to the chest, the body tied with ropes or wrapped in mats. Men were buried with fishing tools, while women were buried with spindles and spinning wheels, pieces of cloth and locks of hair. Archaeologists distinguish two main periods in the history of the Paracas civilisation: the earlier "Paracas Caves" and the later "Paracas Necropolis". During its formative period, it was strongly influenced by the Chavin culture, but unlike the latter, it never covered a large area during its entire existence.

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