Latest news with #Barranca
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- 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
5 hours ago
- 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)
The Independent
9 hours ago
- Science
- The Independent
The 3,500 year-old lost city that thrived during the time of Ancient Egypt
Archaeologists have unearthed a lost city named Peñico in Peru 's northern Barranca province, which thrived 3,500 years ago, contemporary with ancient Egyptian and Sumerian civilisations. This ancient city likely served as a vital trading hub, connecting coastal South America to the mountainous Andes region through dense forests, developing independently of other early civilisations. Its strategic location at 600 metres above sea level facilitated trade and exchange, and its discovery is crucial for understanding South American history, potentially emerging after the Caral civilisation. Researchers have uncovered 18 constructions, including public and residential buildings, with drone footage revealing new structures parallel to the Caral-Supe pre-Columbian society. Notable findings include a building with sculptural reliefs featuring conch shell musical horns, known as pututus, which were used for long-distance communication and ritual offerings, alongside clay sculptures and ceremonial objects.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Archaeologists find 3,500-year-old lost city in Peru
Archaeologists have discovered a city in Peru thought to be about 3,500 years old. The city, called Penico, is likely to have served as a trading post linking early Pacific coast communities with those living in the Andes mountains and Amazon basin. Located around 200 miles north of Lima in the country's Barranca province, the urban centre sits on a hillside around 1,970ft above sea level and is believed to have been founded between 1,800 and 1,500BC – around the same time as early civilisations flourished in the Middle East and Asia. Drone footage of the site taken by researchers shows a circular structure on a hillside terrace at the city's centre, surrounded by the remains of stone and mud buildings. The site bears a striking resemblance to the ancient city of Caral, the oldest civilisation in the Americas, 17 miles to the west. Scientists believe the city may have been formed after Caral collapsed as a result of climate change. Having emerged around 5,000 years ago, Caral is considered a contemporary of civilisations in Egypt, India, Sumeria and China. Yet unlike them, it developed in complete isolation, according to researchers. Caral's two sunken circular courts are believed to have served as ceremonial spaces for gatherings and rituals. Ruth Shady, the archaeologist who led the research into Penico and the excavation of Caral in the 1990s, said the newly unveiled city is especially important for understanding what became of the Caral civilisation after it was devastated by environmental changes.. 'They were situated in a strategic location for trade, for exchange with societies from the coast, the highlands and the jungle,' Ms Shady said. Marco Machacuay, an archaeologist and researcher with Peru's ministry of culture, said that Penico's importance lies in it being the continuation of the Caral society, which fell into decline around 1,800BC, possibly because of drought and flooding. After eight years of research, archaeologists have identified up to 18 structures in Penico, including ceremonial temples, residential complexes and murals. The walls of a central plaza stand out for their sculptural reliefs and depictions of the pututu, a conch shell trumpet used in religious ceremonies whose sound carries over long are believed to have been symbols of power and authority in Penico society. In other buildings, researchers found human remains, clay sculptures of human and animal figures, ceremonial objects and necklaces made from beads and seashells. The combination of artefacts from the site blend influences from the coast, the mountains and the jungle, leading archaeologists to conclude that the city was a nexus for trade in the region. Yoshio Cano, a spokesman for the Caral Archaeological Zone, told local media: 'Evidence has been found of a great deal of trade not only in the Supe Valley, but also with the Huaura Valley, because it is located in a very strategic place in the Supe Valley (...) And, in addition, evidence has been found of integration also with the mountain and jungle areas, and over long distances.' Penico officially opened its doors for tourists to visit the ancient city on July 3. As part of the project, ceremonial spaces within the city have been digitally reconstructed to enable visitors to see what the city would have looked like in its prime. Peru is home to many of America's most significant archaeological discoveries, including the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu and the mysterious Nazca lines, located in a desert region along the country's central coast. The Machu Picchu mountain citadel was built by the Inca empire around the time of the 15th century, hundreds of years after Penico flourished as a city. Meanwhile, the Nazca Lines, a series of images etched into the ground resembling animals, are thought to date to between 200BC and 500AD. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- 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
