l8 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 6l 



Lorenzo ; one large and one small one near Huaura ; three moderate- 

 sized ones near Mazo and between this and Begeta; two at Pampa 

 Industria ; two at Vilcahuaura ; and two burial caves at Quintay, 

 north of Sayan. 



Some of these cemeteries, especially that at Km. 140, are in all 

 probability post-Columbian. The mummified bodies there are in a 

 relatively fresh condition, preserving considerable odor of mummi- 

 fied and even decomposing flesh. Also the dead were buried here in 

 the extended position as at the present time. 



All of these cemeteries have been, of course, despoiled by the 

 peon, the bones being left scattered over the ground. Due to damage 

 during excavation and to disintegration of the longer exposed speci- 

 mens by the elements, a large proportion of the skeletal remains, 

 particularly on the sandy slopes to the southeast of Huacho, were 

 already in poor condition. It was possible, nevertheless, to examine, 

 with the cooperation of Dr. Tello, about 600 crania and a large 

 quantity of other bones with the following results : 



It was evident that the valley was peopled at all times by natives 

 of good physique and of very fair, though not strictly tall, stature. 

 The natives of the present day in this region, though largely of 

 mixed blood, are still perceptibly more robust and look healthier 

 than similarly mixed natives along other parts of the coast. The 

 explanation of these facts is probably that the fertile valley has 

 always afforded ample and good nourishment to the people ; it was 

 seemingly not as badly infected with malaria as other valleys along 

 the coast ; and the natives have never been reduced to peonage on 

 a large scale. Many to this day possess a piece of rich land of their 

 own and are practically independent. 



Besides being sturdy the people of this valley were also remark- 

 ably free from diseases such as would leave their marks upon the 

 bones. " Mushroom " femora were about as frequent as at Ancon, 

 but symmetric osteoporosis of the skull was less common, nor were 

 any extreme forms of it encountered, and other bone diseases as well 

 as injuries were rare. 



Anthropologically, the large majority of the Huacho Valley people 

 of all times belonged to the coast brachycephals ; two or three of the 

 cemeteries, however, showed a very noticeable admixture of the 

 more oblong skulls of the mountain type. 



Most of the crania presented a more or less pronounced fronto- 

 occipital flattening, but some percentage of little deformed or unde- 



