Archaeologists in Peru discovered scary-looking wooden sculptures, a total of 19 statues that are at least 750 years old and were in the corridor of an old building in the historic city of Chan Chan, the country’s Ministry of Culture said.
The corridor where the sculptures were found extends over 30 meters (100 ft.) and leads to a ceremonial courtyard.
The idols are believed to belong to a pre-Columbian civilization.
Each figurine found measures about 70 centimeters (2,3 ft.) and appears to represent anthropomorphic figures, carrying a scepter in one hand and a circular object, possibly a shield, in the other.
Most are well preserved, but some are headless.
Those that keep their heads intact are adorned with strange clay masks.
Some of the figurines are humanoid in shape, while others represent animals.
The city of Chan Chan was the capital of the Chimú Empire, which existed between 900 and 1470 AD, and was divided into nine citadels.
Chan Chan was very prosperous and, at its peak, the city had a population of 60,000.
The Chimú empire had a rigid structure and its leaders preached that people were not created equal.
It is believed that civilization came to an end after being conquered by the Incas.
After the Chimú Empire collapsed, the city went into decline and by the time Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro arrived in the 1530s, the city had already been abandoned.
