Were found by accident on the banks of a lagoon known as "Laguna de las Momias" (Mummies' lagoon), located in an inaccessible and uninhabited place of the district of Leimebamba in the province of Chachapoyas. The first exploratory expedition integrated by archaeologists was directed by Federico Kauffmann Doig, in May-June, 1997. Five mausoleums, that were protected by a cave that presents rock paintings, were replete with funeral bundles, objects of ceramics, quipus, etc., attributable to the Chachapoyas culture.
The graves begun to be plundered by stockbreeders who sighted them when they were walking around the area of the lagoon. When they realized that the mummies were not presenting any jewelry nor any other adornments of precious metals desisted from pillaging them; this way, about thirty funeral bundles have been saved from the plundering. Such discovery would allow the archaeologists to continue their works to establish new bases of knowledge.
This is a cloud forest area in the Peruvian Andes, 10/12 hours from Leymebamba town. Earlier this century this zone, extending past the last Chachapoyan ruins of Gran Pajaten, was 15,000 sq. km. of unexplored Andes. In this unknown area, 219 well preserved mummies were discovered and shown by the Discovery Channel in October 1998. This is our most rigorous trip as it follows an Inca trail, and not a major Inca road. This site is located on a cliff above a huge alpine lake. In the rainy season this is behind a waterfall from the cliff above. This appears to be a very sacred site where dead leaders were mummified and brought here from far away. In Leymebamba we will see these mummies and a large treasure of artifacts in the museum donated by the Austrians.
The Department Amazonas, situated in the northeast of Peru, in the region of the so-called cloud forest, which is characterized on the one hand by the influence of the cool Altiplano and on the other hand by the exuberant vegetation of the rain forest. In 2000, the population of the Department Amazonas amounted to approximately 407,000 inhabitants.
The moderate to cool climate is characterized by high amounts of precipitation throughout the year, whereas a rainy season (from December to April) is distinguished. The capital of the Department Chachapoyas (1999: 50,000 inhabitants) is located at a distance of 85 km from Leymebamba.
