Police in Peru found an ancient mummy in a man’s food delivery bag, Saturday.
Three men were drinking in a deserted park on Saturday afternoon when they were approached by police officers, who discovered a 600-to-800-year-old pre-Hispanic mummy inside the men’s cooler bag, police told CNN. The owner of the bag, who local outlets identified as Julio Cesar Bermejo, claimed the mummy was his “spiritual girlfriend” and that he had named her “Juanita.”
Bermejo reportedly said the mummy sleeps in his bed with him, and that he takes care of her, CNN continued. The body, which is believed to be an adult male, was wrapped in bandages and in the fetal position. Peru’s Ministry of Culture is now studying the mummy as a potential natural cultural asset.
Man in Peru carrying ancient mummy in his bag, says Juanita is his girlfriend, pic.twitter.com/U2EQjA2O3A
— D. Scott @eclipsethis2003 (@eclipsethis2003) February 28, 2023
Bermejo was taken into custody, where he will remain while investigators look into the case, Agence France-Presse reported. He claimed his father returned home with the mummy almost 30 years ago, and that he was carrying it around to show his friends. (RELATED: Ancient Mayan Cities And ‘Super Highways’ Revealed In Shocking Study)
Peru’s rich ancient culture is still not fully comprehended by modern day archaeologists, who rely on discoveries like this mummy to establish what life looked like in the nation prior to Hispanic influence. In other parts of the Central and South America, recent discoveries have indicated that previous civilizations were far more developed than initially assumed.