Latest news with #Peñico
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Lost and found: Peru unveils sacred city of Caral hidden for nearly 4,000 years
The site of Caral, one of Peru's most important archaeological areas, has a new jewel in its crown after eight years of excavations, intense research and conservation work. It is called Peñico, and experts consider it to be a "city of social integration" because of its strategic location, which connected the populations of the Supe and Huaura valleys, but also because of the large number of homes, public buildings and ceremonial spaces it housed. On Saturday 12 July, the Caral Archaeological Zone will organise the first Peñico Raymi, a replica of a traditional Andean festival, to inaugurate the new archaeological site. Although the Caral culture developed mainly between 3000 and 1800 BC (which, given its antiquity, places it in a society with a development and chronology comparable to Ancient Egypt), it's understood the city of Peñico began to develop a little later, around 1800 and 1500 BC. The Caral are considered the oldest of the pre-Hispanic civilisations in the Americans, which went into steep decline around 1800 BC. It is possible that the prestige achieved by Peñico society in the valley, coupled with its role as a hub in the exchange network, was linked to the extraction and circulation of hematite. This mineral, used to make a red pigment, had great symbolic importance within Andean cosmology. Among the 18 constructions discovered during the excavations and now on display to the public, a ceremonial hall stands out: "We don't know its exact limits," explained Mauro Ordóñez, head of the Penico archaeological site. "This building continues to extend from east to west. The most interesting thing is the composition of several antechambers: one of them stands out for having on its sides the representation, in friezes, of pututus". Pututus are objects also known as churus (the Quechua word for a mollusc, shell or snail). They are wind instruments originally made from a seashell that was large enough to emit a powerful sound. Ordóñez considers this to be evidence of close relations with other pre-Columbian groups in northern Peru. The sacred city of Caral-Supe, located less than 200 kilometres north of Lima, the Peruvian capital, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Peñico, in particular, was built 600 metres above sea level on a geological terrace parallel to the Supe River and surrounded by hills that reach a height of 1,000 metres. Its Caralan builders chose this strategic location for multiple purposes: to enhance the monumentality of their buildings, to protect themselves from floods or landslides and, as evidenced by findings such as the representation of musical instruments, and to promote interaction and exchange with other civilisations.
CNN
08-07-2025
- CNN
Ancient Peruvian city more than 3,000 years old unveiled
An ancient Peruvian city that was a thriving hub of trade more than 3,000 years ago has been unveiled by archaeologists. Peñico is located in the Huaura province, north of the capital Lima, according to the Ministry of Culture in a press release sent to CNN. In what was the official opening to the public, details of the site were unveiled last week following eight years of excavation and conservation. Experts believe Peñico, founded around 1800 BC, served as a strategic urban center, linking the coastal communities of the Supe Valley with settlements in the high Andes and Amazon. It was built 600 meters above sea level, the ministry said in the release. 'This urban center developed following the cultural tradition of the Caral,' said Ruth Shady, lead researcher and director of the Caral Archaeological Zone (ZAC), which is attached to Peru's Ministry of Culture, in the release. 'Due to its strategic location, it connected coastal and mountain towns of Supe and Huaura, as well as those living in the Andean-Amazonian and the high Andean region,' Shady added. Some 18 structures have been identified in Peñico, the release says, including public buildings and residential units. One significant structure is a monumental public building known as B1-B3, where archaeologists uncovered clay sculptures, ceremonial tools, and conch-shell trumpets called 'pututus' – instruments that once echoed across ancient Andean landscapes to summon gatherings and invoke the gods. Researchers believe Peñico gained influence following the decline of Caral, one of the oldest civilizations in the Americas. Its prestige may have been tied to its role in the trade of hematite, a red pigment with symbolic meaning in Andean cosmology, according to the release. The site, now open for tourism, includes a modern interpretation center, reception areas and walking routes through the preserved ruins. The opening comes ahead of the first ever Peñico Raymi, a public festival set to be held on Saturday. The event will celebrate the site's cultural legacy with traditional rituals, art and a ceremony to honor the goddess Pachamama.
Malay Mail
07-07-2025
- Science
- Malay Mail
Lost Peruvian city Peñico reveals ancient trade networks, shedding light on 3,500-year-old civilisation
LIMA, July 8 — Archaeologists last week unveiled a 3,500-year-old city in Peru that likely served as a trading hub linking Pacific coast cultures with those in the Andes and Amazon, flourishing around the same time as early civilisations in the Middle East and Asia. Drone footage released by researchers shows the city centre is marked by a circular structure on a hillside terrace, with remains of stone and mud buildings constructed some 600 metres (1,970 feet) above sea level. The urban centre, named Peñico, is located in the northern Barranca province and was founded between 1,800 and 1,500 BC. It is close to where the Caral civilisation, the oldest in the Americas, developed 5,000 years ago. Caral, comprised of 32 monumental structures, is considered a contemporary of civilisations in Egypt, India, Sumeria and China. However, unlike them, it developed in complete isolation, according to researchers. Ruth Shady, the archaeologist who led the research into Peñico, said the newly unveiled city is key because experts believe it emerged after the Caral civilisation was devastated by climate change. 'They were situated in a strategic location for trade, for exchange with societies from the coast, the highlands and the jungle,' Shady said. Archaeologist Marco Machacuay, a researcher with the Ministry of Culture, said at a news conference that Peñico's importance lies in it being the continuation of the Caral society. After eight years of studies, researchers have identified up to 18 structures in Penico, including ceremonial temples and residential complexes. The walls of a central plaza stand out for their sculptural reliefs and depictions of the pututu, a conch shell trumpet whose sound carries over long distances. Aerial view of the archaeological zone in the northern Barranca province in this undated handout photo released on July 3, 2025. — Reuters pic/Caral Archaeological Zone handout In other buildings, researchers found clay sculptures of human and animal figures, ceremonial objects and necklaces made from beads and seashells, they added. Peru is a centre of ancient cultures and home to archaeological sites such as the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu in Cusco and the mysterious Nazca lines located in the desert region along the country's central coast. — Reuters
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Archaeologists unveil 3,500-year-old city in Peru
Archaeologists have announced the discovery of an ancient city in Peru's northern Barranca province. The 3,500-year-old city, named Peñico, is believed to have served as a key trading hub connecting early Pacific coast communities with those living in the Andes mountains and Amazon basin. Located some 200km north of Lima, the site lies about 600 metres (1,970 feet) above sea level and is thought to have been founded between 1,800 and 1,500 BC - around the same time that early civilisations were flourishing in the Middle East and Asia. Researchers say the discovery sheds light on what became of the Americas' oldest civilisation, the Caral. Drone footage released by researchers shows a circular structure on a hillside terrace at the city's centre, surrounded by the remains of stone and mud buildings. Eight years of research at the site unearthed 18 structures, including ceremonial temples and residential complexes. In buildings at the site, researchers discovered ceremonial objects, clay sculptures of human and animal figures and necklaces made from beads and seashells. Peñico is situated close to where Caral, recognised as the oldest known civilisation in the Americas, was established 5,000 years ago at around 3,000 BC in the Supe valley of Peru. Caral features 32 monuments, including large pyramid structures, sophisticated irrigation agriculture and urban settlements. It is believed to have developed in isolation to other comparative early civilisations in India, Egypt, Sumeria and China. Dr Ruth Shady, the archaeologist who led the recent research into Peñico and the excavation of Caral in the 1990s, said that the discovery was important for understanding what became of the Caral civilisation after it was decimated by climate change. The Peñico community was "situated in a strategic location for trade, for exchange with societies from the coast, the highlands and the jungle", Dr Shady told the Reuters news agency. At a news conference unveiling the findings on Thursday, archaeologist Marco Machacuay, a researcher with the Ministry of Culture, said that Peñico's significance lies in it being a continuation of the Caral society. Peru is home to many of the Americas' most significant archaeological discoveries, including the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu in the Andes and the mysterious Nazca Lines etched into the desert along the central coast. Researchers help uncover ancient Egyptian city Iron Age settlement and 'Roman villa' unearthed Bronze Age burial site found under park
CTV News
07-07-2025
- Science
- CTV News
Archeologists in Peru unveil 3,500-year-old city that linked coast and Andes
The Peruvian flag flies outside an office building in the financial district of Lima, Peru. Photographer: Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg Archeologists on Thursday unveiled a 3,500-year-old city in Peru that likely served as a trading hub linking Pacific coast cultures with those in the Andes and Amazon, flourishing around the same time as early civilizations in the Middle East and Asia. Drone footage released by researchers shows the city center is marked by a circular structure on a hillside terrace, with remains of stone and mud buildings constructed some 600 metres (1,970 feet) above sea level. The urban center, named Peñico, is located in the northern Barranca province and was founded between 1,800 and 1,500 BC. It is close to where the Caral civilization, the oldest in the Americas, developed 5,000 years ago. Caral, comprised of 32 monumental structures, is considered a contemporary of civilizations in Egypt, India, Sumeria and China. However, unlike them, it developed in complete isolation, according to researchers. Ruth Shady, the archeologist who led the research into Peñico, said the newly unveiled city is key because experts believe it emerged after the Caral civilization was devastated by climate change. 'They were situated in a strategic location for trade, for exchange with societies from the coast, the highlands and the jungle,' Shady said. Archeologist Marco Machacuay, a researcher with the Ministry of Culture, said at a news conference that Peñico's importance lies in it being the continuation of the Caral society. After eight years of studies, researchers have identified up to 18 structures in Penico, including ceremonial temples and residential complexes. The walls of a central plaza stand out for their sculptural reliefs and depictions of the pututu, a conch shell trumpet whose sound carries over long distances. In other buildings, researchers found clay sculptures of human and animal figures, ceremonial objects and necklaces made from beads and seashells, they added. Peru is a center of ancient cultures and home to archeological sites such as the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu in Cusco and the mysterious Nazca lines located in the desert region along the country's central coast. (Reporting by Marco Aquino and Carlos Valdez for Reuters TV; Editing by David Gregorio)
