Walter Alva

Alva was born on 28 June 1951 in Contumazá Province. He earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees in archaeology. Alva has worked for years at the Bruning Archeological Museum in Lambayeque, Peru. He advanced to the post of director there. In 1987, Alva was called by police to investigate a site at Sipán, where huaqueros (grave robbers) had stolen artifacts from an archaeological site. Despite being ill with bronchitis, he made the trip. The robbers had discovered a crypt of a lord, filled with jewels and gold, and Alva knew it was significant. Alva did most of the excavating without delay, as he was concerned that robbers might come back and cause more damage.