Latest news with #Shady
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Archaeologists Dug up a 3,500-Year-Old Lost City from the Americas' Oldest Civilization
Here's what you'll learn when you read this story: Archaeologists just unveiled the remains of a 3,500 year old city in Peru. After eight years of research, experts have unearthed 18 structures so far, including residential homes and ceremonial temples. Experts believe the city—since named Peñico—was once a thriving urban center optimized for trade with a connection to the Americas' oldest civilization. After eight long years of excavation and research, archaeologists finally unveiled a 3,500 year old city in Peru. Located in the Lima region, the city has since been named 'Peñico,' meaning the city of social integration. Experts believe that the city's builders strategically selected the location to facilitate trade between the coast, the highlands, and the jungle. 'This urban center developed following the cultural tradition of Caral,' Ruth Shady, director of the Caral Archeological Zone (ZAC), explained in a translated press release, referencing the Caral civilization, the oldest known civilization in the Americas. 'Due to its strategic location, it connected settlements on the coast and in the Supe and Huaura mountains, as well as those living in the Andean-Amazonian territory and the high Andean region.' The city sits nearly half of a mile above sea level and is surrounded by hills. According to experts, this would have optimized its monumentality, protected against disasters like flooding and mudslides, and promoted social interaction. Researchers believe that the urban area was established around 1800 B.C., 1,200 years after the Caral civilization was established around 3000 B.C. According to the BBC, Shady noted that climate change had devastated the ancient civilization, and Peñico was likely a continuation of Caral, since the former emerged in the same area soon after the latter's decline. Aerial images of Peñico show off the stone and mud ruins of the once-prosperous city. So far, archaeologists have discovered 18 structures at the site, perhaps the most notable of which is a building known as B2. Part of the large central plaza, the section (according to the press release) stands out for its impressive structural reliefs and designs, including the depiction of 'pututus'—conch shell trumpets that were an integral part of Andean society, and were used both during rituals and to convene meetings and make announcements. The artifacts recovered from the public building were just as notable as the building itself. Jewelry, tools, figurines, and ceremonial objects were all discovered at the site, according to the press release. Evidence suggests that the B2 building would have been a center for administrative and ideological gatherings, meaning that it was likely the most important building in the city (though archeologists also uncovered other residential and ceremonial buildings). Experts believe that the prosperity of Peñico could have been thanks to locals' use of hematite—a mineral that was important to Andean society, and often used to make red pigment for activities like pottery painting. According to the release, experts at the site think that inhabitants of the ancient city may have extracted and circulated the resource, making it a key part of the trade network in the Supe Valley. The discoveries at Peñico will not only enrich scholars' understanding of the Supe Valley, but will serve as a tool for public education. At the Ministry of Culture's press conference, Shady announced that Peñico is now one of the publicly-accessible archaeological sites managed by the ZAC. The ZAC also organized the first Peñico Raymi festival, which is scheduled for July 12. There, guests will be able to wander around an arts festival, celebrate local cultural heritage, and pay tribute to Pachamama (Mother Earth). You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
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.
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.
GMA Network
05-07-2025
- Science
- GMA Network
Archaeologists in Peru unveil 3,500-year-old city that linked coast and Andes
Aerial view of the archaeological zone in the northern Barranca province as archaeologists 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, in the northern Barranca province, Peru in this undated handout photo released on July 3, 2025. Caral Archaeological Zone/Handout via REUTERS LIMA - Archaeologists 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 on Thursday shows the city center is marked by a circular structure on a hillside terrace, with remains of stone and mud buildings constructed some 600 meters (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 archaeologist 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. 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. 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 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
Ammon
05-07-2025
- Science
- Ammon
Archaeologists in Peru unveil 3,500-year-old city that linked coast and Andes
Ammon News - 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 archaeologist 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. 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. 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 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
