Secrets of Ancient Parrot Mummies Unearthed in Atacama Desert

These days, the idea that mummies are not exclusive to Egypt is fairly common knowledge. However, what is still less known is the fact that humans are not the only ones to have died and undergone this ancient funeral rite. But aside from people and other pets, did you know that parrots were mummified as well?

Small pets have also been found alongside their owners, often with the clear intention that they could accompany their masters into the afterlife. Others were included as offerings to the gods or to invoke totem animal spirits.

Most of these mummified animals had been cats or dogs. But in recent times, archaeologists working in South America's Atacama Desert are uncovering mummified parrots in tombs!

(Photo : Photo by Rebecca Tregear from Pixabay)

Atacama Desert - vital trade route to Incan civilization

The findings were part of a larger effort to learn more about the exact role the high-altitude desert played in pre-colonial history. To date, it is still regarded as one of the driest, most inhospitable deserts in the world.

But despite that, it has been the sight of various tribes eking out survival and even conquest, including the mighty Incan empire. This is largely due to the development of roads that spanned across the entire mountain range and helped serve as a channel of vital, life-sustaining resources across the region.

It is possible that the mummified parrots could further strengthen the thesis that Atacama was part of these ancient trade routes throughout the region's turbulent ancient history. For one thing, these birds were not native to the area and were most likely brought there after being captured from the Amazon.

Also read: Skin Proteins from Ancient Egyptian Mummies Reveal Deadly, Infectious Diseases

Mummified birds indicate age-old wildlife trade

A quick glance through the many museum pieces from the Andes' pre-colonial civilizations will easily reveal why these parrots were highly prized. Asides from pets, they were treated as a source of colorful feathers for a variety of headdresses and garments. 

Naturally, such colorful attire was used as a show of power and wealth. For instance, red and green were among the many important colors in Incan textiles and represented conquest and fertility, respectively. (Incidentally, a majority of the mummified birds found were identified as scarlet macaws.)

This could indicate that trade in exotic wildlife was already present in pre-colonial Andes, where llama caravans could transport valuable goods from the more robust Amazon rainforest and brought up to various settlements high up on the plateau.

On the other hand, it also demonstrates just how much power the ruling elite had to fuel the demand. The Incan empire, specifically, was said to have an upper class that was very authoritative and dictated the coming-and-going of these goods.

Many of the lower caste had undoubtedly gone to great lengths to secure sources of these status symbols to appease their rulers. As such, many of the mummified birds showed all the tell-tale signs of poor life in transit and captivity (such as malnourishment, bruising and weakened constitutions).

Today, such practices would doubtlessly come under harsh scrutiny from conservation authorities. However, there are still many cases where it persists. It only goes to indicate that old habits still die hard, but hopefully today's generation have learned to do better than their ancestors.

Also read: Atacama Desert and El Niño: Purple Flowers Everywhere