Generally, well preserved arthropod remains are rarely found among archaeological materials. The outstanding preservation of some mummified guinea pigs from the excavation of El Yaral, an archeological site in the Moquegua Valley in Southern Peru, gave rise to the idea of recovering ectoparasites, that once infested those guinea pigs. Ectoparasites are arthropods, like lice, fleas and mites, who can be a serious threat to animals and humans by causing skin lesions or even transmitting diseases