The Chauchilla Cemetery is a cemetery located 30 kilometers south of the city of Nazca in Peru. The site is surrounded by the Poroma River and can be accessed via a dirt road from the Pan-American Highway.

It was discovered in the 1920s, but had not been used since the 9th century AD. It contains ancient mummified human remains and archaeological artifacts.

All the bodies in the Chauchilla cemetery came from the same group of pre-Columbian people. Photo credit

The dry climate of the Peruvian desert is a preservation factor. Photo credit

Until recently, mummies were scattered across the desert, abandoned as looting thugs. Now the mummies, bones and pottery have been carefully arranged into a dozen toms.

Over the years, the graʋe roƄƄers plundered the tomƄs. Photo credit

The bodies are remarkably preserved, mainly due to the arid climate of the Peruvian desert. In addition to skulls and bones, there are several tomƄs that are centuries old, as well as long human hair, pottery shards and other remains scattered over the desert surface. The bodies were dressed in embroidered cotton and then painted with resin and kept in specially constructed toms made of mud bricks. The mummies are sitting upright; They are all facing east as required by the faith of the Nazca people.

All the mummies point towards the east. Photo credit

Despite its centuries-old age, many still have their hair while others retain their skin. Photo credit

According to Atlas OƄscura, many of the mummy heads have been specially prepared with holes drilled in the back parts of their skulls and, in some cases, a rope has been passed through the mummified head.

The site has been protected under Peruvian law since 1997. Photo credit

Since 1997, the site has been protected by Peruvian law. Today, tourists pay around seven dollars to take the two-hour tour of this ancient necropolis. It is the only archaeological site in Peru where ancient mummies with funerary goods can be seen in Ƅurial chambers.

The exact nature and use of the heads remain unclear. Photo credit

The cemetery can be seen in the movie Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. It is explicitly identified in the script, promotional materials, and merchandise.