Unraveling the mystery of ‘spines on sticks’

The World

Scholars have long sought to understand the meaning of 200 enigmatic artifacts found in tombs in Peru. The artifacts consist of human vertebrae threaded on sticks. Archeologist Jacob Bongers from the University of East Anglia has done an analysis of the vertebrae and tells The World’s host Marco Werman that the objects are likely an Indigenous response to the looting of burial grounds by Spanish colonists.

Will you support The World with a monthly donation?

Every day, reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you. We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.

Make a gift today, and you’ll help us unlock a matching gift of $67,000!