Archaeologists have recently unearthed the remnants of a 5,000-year-old ceremonial temple and human remains beneath a sand dune in Peru.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Culture of Peru, this temple site is located in the Zaña district (also known as Saña) in northwestern Peru and is part of the Los Paredones de la Otra Banda-Las Ánimas Archaeological Complex.
This 5,000-year-old temple features walls adorned with reliefs. (Photo: DDC Lambayeque).
After the excavation commenced, researchers discovered what remains of a multi-tiered temple, including its walls. Between the walls were the skeletons of three adults.
Asian news channels reported that the tombs containing offerings wrapped in fabric are evidence that this may have been a site for sacrificial rituals.
Luis Armando Muro Ynoñán, Director of the Archaeological Project on the Cultural Landscape of the Ucupe – Zaña Valley, stated: “We are examining a 5,000-year-old religious complex situated within an archaeological space defined by mud-brick walls. There is a central staircase that people could ascend to reach a platform in the center.”
The walls are decorated with intricate reliefs depicting human bodies with bird heads, feline features, and reptilian claws. The upper portions of the walls are covered with a fine plaster layer featuring designed images.
Researchers also unearthed another structure dating back to around 600 to 700 AD, possibly during the Moche period of Peru. The Moche, known for their human sacrifice rituals, were famous for their large temples and exquisite artworks, including human-shaped ceramic cups.
