Latin America

Updated 21 August, 2019 - 01:55 Alicia McDermott



The newly uncovered wall carvings found in Vichama, Peru.


3,800 years ago, the people living in what is now called Vichama, Peru carved snakes and human heads into their walls alongside depictions of emaciated people. They were starving and dying and hoped a water deity would finally be lenient and send them some rain to let their friends, family, and neighbors survive.

According to archaeologist Ruth Shady, who leads excavations at the site, their pleas were answered. Experts arrived at this conclusion when they recently unearthed a carving of a human-like toad inside a ceremonial complex. In traditional Andean belief, a depiction of a toad can be used as a symbol for rain.

The toad figure is shown wrapping its hands around a human face below, which suggests that the people of Vichama were waiting for, or receiving, the rainfall that was so badly needed. Archaeologist Tatiana Abad states the mural appears to represent the “announcement of the arrival of water.”



The wall carvings found in Vichama, Peru, in 2018. (Zona Arqueológica Caral / Andina)

Other Carvings Discovered Nearby

Last year, wall carvings were located inside of the same structure where the rain representation was found. These stretch across a one meter (3.2 feet) high and 2.8 meters (9.2 feet) long adobe wall at the entry point of a ceremonial hall. That wall relief depicts four human heads with their eyes-closed and two snakes passing between and around them. These two snakes have their heads pointing at the image of what DW describes as “a humanoid seed symbol that is digging into the soil.”



The humanoid seed. (Ministerio de Cultura)

More:
https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/wall-carvings-0010573