Beliefs and funeral rites
Though there is scant evidence of burial rites attributed to the Archaic Period, there is one notable case: the Patapatane cave in the Puna of Arica. This site contains the grave of a young woman buried around 4000 BCE, her body having clear signs of post-mortem alteration that included mutilation, dismemberment and broken bones. She was placed in anatomical position except for her head, which was placed on top of her trunk with the brain removed. The burial place was partially covered and surrounded by rocks of different sizes.