This paper makes accesible a new transcription of Richard Spruce’s vocabulary of the Sechura language. Collected in the mid-19th century by the British botanist, it constitutes one of only two sources of data for this language of northernmost Peru. A comparison of the original with previously published versions shows serious errors in transcription, in particular in those of Otto von Buchwald and Jacinto Jijón y Camaaño. The article also discusses the probable circumstances of data collection and the publication history of the hitherto known version, and concludes with some first observations on the significance of Spruce’s wordlist for elucidating the linguistic history of the region, in particular with regard to the question of the linguistic situation at Olmos.

Esta nota hace accesible una nueva transcripción del vocabulario de la lengua de Sechura recolectado por Richard Spruce. Elaborado a mediados del siglo XIX por el botanista inglés, constituye una de las solo dos fuentes para esta lengua del extremo norte del Perú. La comparación del original con versiones publicadas anteriormente hace evidente graves errores de transcripción, particularmente en las versiones de Otto von Buchwald y Jacinto Jijón y Camaaño. La nota también discute las probables circunstancias de la recolección de los datos y la historia de la publicación de las versiones anteriormente conocidas. Por último, concluye con primeras observaciones sobre la relevancia del vocabulario de Spruce, especialmente acerca de la situación lingüística en el pueblo de Olmos.

Diphyllobothrium pacificum has been reported as a human parasite from coprolites and skeletons in Peru and Chile. Our analysis of Chinchorro mummies from Chile provides the oldest evidence of D. pacificum directly associated with human mummies. These mummies date between 4,000 and 5,000 years ago. The basis for our diagnosis is presented. We find that the size of the eggs in the mummies is smaller than other discoveries of D. pacificum. We suggest that this is due to the peculiar circumstances of preservation of parasite eggs within mummies and the release of immature eggs into the intestinal tract as the tapeworms decompose after the death of the host. This information is important to consider when making diagnoses from mummies.