The "Nazca Mummies," 2017–2024: Dolls of Bone and Glue
Three-fingered bodies said to come from the Nazca desert were shown to Mexico's Congress in 2023 as non-human. Peruvian forensic experts who examined similar figures concluded they were assembled from human and animal bones held together with modern glue.
Sources Peruvian Ministry of Culture and forensic archaeologist Flavio Estrada, statements January 2024 (AP, Reuters); Mexican Chamber of Deputies UAP hearing, 12 Sep 2023; Wikipedia, 'Nazca mummies'
From 2017 a group of promoters in Peru circulated videos of desiccated, three-fingered bodies they said had come from a cave in the Nazca desert. In September 2023 Mexican journalist Jaime Maussan brought two small bodies in boxes to a hearing in Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies and presented them as non-human.
The forensic verdict
Peruvian authorities had already seized similar figures. In January 2024 forensic archaeologist Flavio Estrada and colleagues presented their findings: the figures were dolls assembled from bones of animals and humans, with modern synthetic glue and plaster, then covered to look mummified. The three-fingered hands were built from finger bones arranged to fit. The Peruvian Ministry of Culture also warned that genuine human remains had been taken from looted ancient burials.
Why it matters
The case is both a hoax and a heritage crime. The Ledger does not give a location for the claimed find, and the map position is region level only (Nazca province).
Ledger status
Marked hoax.
Sources
- AP News, Peruvian experts on the “alien” figures (January 2024) — apnews.com
- Reuters, “Scientists assert ‘alien mummies’ in Peru are really dolls made from Earthly bones” (13 Jan 2024) — reuters.com
- Ministerio de Cultura del Perú, “Especialistas del Ministerio Público confirmaron que momias incautadas… no son reales” (12 Jan 2024) — gob.pe
- Wikipedia, “Nazca mummies” — en.wikipedia.org
Part of the World Ledger, batch 1. Original text; no images are used.
Evidence ledger
Each claim in this file, the source it rests on, and how well it holds up: 3 corroborated · 1 debunked. What the labels mean.
| Claim | Source | Type · date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two small 'non-human' bodies were displayed at a Mexican congressional hearing on 12 Sep 2023. | Mexican Chamber of Deputies hearing; press | official · 2023 | corroborated |
| Peruvian forensic experts examined related figures seized in Peru and found them to be dolls made of animal and human bones joined with modern synthetic glue. | AP and Reuters reports of Peruvian forensic briefing, Jan 2024 | press · 2024 | corroborated |
| The bodies are 1,000-year-old non-human beings. | Promoters' claims | social · 2023 | debunked |
| The material came from looted archaeological contexts in Peru.Grave looting is a crime in Peru; the Ledger gives no site pin. | Peruvian Ministry of Culture | official | corroborated |
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