In the execution of our projects, we sometimes find fascinating traces of our past, which we recover and treasure.
On June 20, 2019, during the installation of the natural gas distribution network in the area of Zapallal, in the district of Puente Piedra (Peru), we found the remains of pre-Hispanic vessels that marked a burial site of our ancestors: an exceptional tomb with a small child, aged 1 to 2 years old, filled with ceramic objects, including a particular one that stood out: The Cuchimilco, a small terracotta figurine created by the Chancay culture of the Inca empire.
The finding took place in a particular context: the 2019 Lima Pan American and Parapan American Games. The games’ mascot was “Milco”, a character inspired by the Cuchimilco, and as an invocation, the Cuchimilco figurine cried out to us, wanting to reveal its origin.
The young child discovered at the burial site had a female Cuchimilco figurine as its main escort to the afterlife, either a priest or character that performed the funeral rituals, and animal figurines, including a guinea pig. We also found fragments of decorated clay jars and pieces of metal.
The people of Zapallal followed the story that we shared with them from Cálidda with much enthusiasm and wonder. They were very grateful for the care we gave their ancestors, who had inhabited their land long ago.
The news of the Cuchimilco finding while excavating the archaeological site disseminated quickly and attracted the attention of both the local and international press, in part because it had a particular nuance: the Cuchimilco is part of the popular culture, part of our millennial past, and now a character in an event that unites several Latin American countries. It made us proud of our history and of who we are as a people.
Committed to Superior Performance, we go beyond what the regulations require. We are passionate about our history, and so we deal with these findings respectfully, we reconstruct and investigate, and then disseminate the story that they tell through various formats so the community may learn of it. Thus we contribute to strengthening our identity as Peruvians.
Rescuing and safekeeping these fortuitous findings in Cálidda, we contribute to science and history and transform our ideas of city and community.
The arrival of natural gas at Puente Piedra not only translated into progress and life quality, it also meant pride and learning about our incredible history.