Archaeologists studying an ancient abandoned city in Peru made a somewhat unsettling discovery in the form of 20 creepy-looking statues which lined the walls of a passageway. The eerie figurines were reportedly found at the UNESCO World Heritage site known as Chan Chan which was once the massive capital of the Chimu Empire during pre-Columbian era of South America. A flourishing community which spanned the years 900 to 1470 AD, the city fell into ruin and was abandoned after the Inca conquered the Chimu people.
In modern times, Chan Chan has provided a fascinating glimpse into that period of history and, as this most recent discovery shows, still holds some remarkable secrets waiting to be found by researchers. The wooden statues, archeologists say, stand around two feet tall and were outfitted with makes made of a clay-like substance. Each figurine was placed neatly into a small niche along a lengthy corridor and appeared to be holding a scepter in one hand as well as a shield in the other.
Find out what archaeologists believe was the purpose for the statues at the Coast to Coast AM website.