What Peru’s Ministry of Culture DOESN’T Want YOU to Know About the Nazca Bodies Discoveries- Part 4
- Cristina Gomez
- May 1
- 5 min read
In a groundbreaking series of interviews never before presented to an English-speaking audience, researchers from the University of Ica, Peru have shared unprecedented details about their investigation into the controversial Nazca bodies. This article summarizes the key revelations from Part 4 of this five-part series, which features extensive interviews with Anthropologist Dr. Roger Zuñiga and the late Maxillofacial Radiologist Dr. Edgar Martin Hernandez who tragically lost his life in a car accident shortly after this interview.
The Beginning of the Investigation
The involvement of the University of Ica with the Nazca bodies began in early 2019 when Dr. Zuñiga was appointed as the university’s representative at a meeting in the Congress of the Republic. This gathering included foreign scientists and representatives from universities with archaeology and anthropology departments. During this meeting, skeptics — primarily archaeologists — began dismissing the bodies as fraudulent. Dr. Zuñiga took a measured stance, arguing that proper investigation should precede any conclusions about authenticity. This neutral position impressed visiting foreign scientists, leading Dr. Clara Martínez to later seek him out at the university.
Following initial contacts, an agreement was reached with the Incari group and Jois Mantilla to transfer the desiccated bodies to the University of Ica for research. Dr. Zuñiga, initially working alone, reached out to Dr. Hernández first, followed by other medical professionals to form a dedicated investigation team. The researchers then traveled to Cusco to retrieve four bodies from the Incari group, with Jois Mantilla officially transferring them while maintaining confidentiality about their original source.
Research Progress and Interruptions
The research team immediately began their investigation, conducting CT scans and X-rays. Due to limited institutional support, team members often covered costs from their personal funds. Just as this initial phase of research was progressing, the COVID-19 pandemic forced a complete halt to their work.
When research resumed after the pandemic, the team faced another significant obstacle: a lawsuit filed by Peru’s Ministry of Culture against Vice-Rector Dr. Martín Alarcón, accusing the scientists of smuggling and altering the mummies. Despite these challenges, the team had already secured important imaging data. During this period, Surgeon Dr. David Ruiz Vela joined the research team after Dr. Zuñiga saw him on television defending the authenticity of the bodies. The team later signed what they called a “worldwide declaration” affirming that the bodies were genuine and had not been manipulated.
Confrontations with Authorities
The Public Prosecutor’s Office made multiple attempts — approximately three, according to Dr. Edgar Martin Hernandez — to seize the bodies. In each case, the university used its autonomous status to prevent confiscation, with Vice-Rector Dr. Martín Alarcón refusing to allow law enforcement agencies access without the rector’s authorization. Dr. Roger Zuñiga, described as the leader of the investigation team, also faced prosecution and what Dr. Edgar Hernandez characterized as harassment from authorities.
The Ministry of Culture has maintained that the bodies are not authentic, initially claiming they were assembled from children’s and birds’ bones with llama heads. More recently, they have changed their position to suggest the bodies are products of modern craftsmanship. According to the scientists this “denialist attitude” represents a significant obstacle to scientific progress. At the time of the interview, the legal case was in the appeals process but hearings had been repeatedly delayed, which Dr. Edgar suggested might be a deliberate strategy to impede research.
Scientific Findings
The research team has published three scientific articles in indexed journals and presented findings at various conferences, including the Mexican Congress. One of their notable discoveries involved a body initially named “Maria,” which based on nine anatomical indicators was later determined to be male and renamed “Mario.” This finding was subsequently confirmed by a Canadian researcher who identified male chromosomes in genetic testing.
Carbon-14 dating placed “Mario” at approximately 1,750 years old, while other bodies, described as “children,” were dated between 800–1,200 years old. This timing corresponds with different stages of Andean and Peruvian cultural development. Dr. Edgar noted the presence of iconographic evidence of these beings in Andean art, including representations in geoglyphs, petroglyphs, ceramics, textiles, and metals, often depicting three-toed beings with elongated heads and no ears.
To address the Ministry’s claims of fabrication, the team conducted tests at the University of Engineering, taking samples from different parts of the bodies, including one specimen named “Alberto.” These tests confirmed that samples from different body parts belonged to the same individual, contradicting assertions that the bodies were assembled from various animal parts. Dr. Edgar emphasized that when cutting samples, they found genuine biological tissue without evidence of artificial joining or assemblage.
Additional research conducted in collaboration with the University of Engineering suggested that some specimens were “ovoviviparous beings.” Dr. Edgar noted that this reproductive characteristic is reflected in some Chimú and Wari textiles, which show three-toed beings appearing to give birth. The team also tested egg samples found with the bodies, which were confirmed to be organic material — petrified eggs — rather than river stones as critics had suggested.
The Death of Dr. Edgar Martin Hernandez
Dr. Edgar, a dedicated oral and maxillofacial radiologist who played a crucial role in the Nazca bodies investigation, tragically lost his life in a car accident shortly after recording the interview featured in part four of the series. His vehicle veered off a cliff, bringing his contributions to this groundbreaking research to an abrupt end. Despite this profound loss, Dr. Edgar’s scientific legacy endures through the team’s ongoing work, his published articles in indexed journals, and his passionate advocacy for rigorous investigation of these controversial findings that challenged conventional understanding.
Scientific and Philosophical Implications
Dr. Zuñiga characterized the discovery as potentially “the most important in all of science,” suggesting that it demonstrates humanity has coexisted with other intelligent species throughout history. Based on their studies of brain capacity relative to body size, the researchers propose these beings may have been equally or more intelligent than humans. Both researchers acknowledged that if confirmed, these findings would significantly impact not only science and biology but also social, ideological, and religious understanding.
Drawing parallels to historical figures like Bruno and Galileo who faced persecution for challenging established beliefs, Dr. Zuñiga suggested that current resistance to their findings represents a “21st century Inquisition.” He attributed this resistance to powerful interests, particularly religious institutions, that prefer to maintain existing paradigms. Nevertheless he expressed confidence that scientific truth would eventually prevail, noting that established scientists from around the world were beginning to join their research efforts.
Current Status and Future Research
At the time of the interview, the University of Ica had secured administrative support from new university authorities but still lacked adequate financial resources. The team was actively seeking partnerships with international institutions, particularly for expensive tests like ancestral DNA analysis (palaeoDNA), which cannot be conducted in Peru. Dr. Zuñiga mentioned he was writing a book documenting the research process in detail.
Both researchers acknowledged the preliminary nature of their work, with them suggesting that complete understanding of these bodies might require four or five decades of scientific development. They emphasized the need to approach this phenomenon through rigorous scientific methods and peer-reviewed publications rather than through social media or informal channels. Despite the obstacles, they expressed optimism about growing international interest and the “unstoppable dissemination” of their findings.
The investigation of the Nazca bodies represents a controversial yet potentially revolutionary scientific endeavor that has faced significant institutional resistance. While the researchers from the University of Ica have conducted initial tests suggesting the authenticity of these unusual specimens, comprehensive analysis will require additional international collaboration and resources. As this exclusive interview series continues with a forthcoming bonus fifth part, viewers will gain further insight into what Dr. Edgar described as a discovery that could “completely change the world” and our understanding of humanity’s place in it.
This article is part 4. Read 1–3 here.
Kommentare