What may have been one of the oldest known murals in the Americas has been scorched by flames.

Director of the Royal Tombs Museum of Sipán Walter Alva told local outlets that nearly 95 percent of the site, including the mural and artifacts, were damaged by the flames.

Local news outlets reported that what started as a controlled burn for agriculture spread out of control. Agribusiness company Pomalco allegedly started the fire to burn a field of sugarcane. The practice is a common way to clear crops before a new planting season. Peru's ministry of culture will reportedly investigate the fire and the full extent of damage at Ventarrón.

Parts of the site were looted in the early 1990s, but looters were unable