Latest news with #tradinghub
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Daily Mail
Ancient City discovered in Peru, filled with sculptures and jewelry
Archaeologists believe Peñico was likely a trading hub linking Pacific coast cultures with those in the Andes mountains and the Amazon basin. Ceremonial temples and residential complexes were uncovered as well as a circular structure on a hillside terrace, with remains of stone and mud buildings constructed some 600m above sea level. 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. The then-bustling city - with 18 surviving structures that have been studied in the last eight years - would have been at its peak at around the same time as early civilisations in the Middle East and Asia, between 1,800 and 1,500 BC. But what has intrigued archaeologists most is that Peñico 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. 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. In May, a vandal sparked outrage after being filmed spray painting what appeared to be a [expletive] onto a wall at an ancient Peruvian UNESCO site. In footage, the man was seen spraying the crude graffiti on one of the original walls of Chan Chan, a pre-Columbian city 300 miles north of Lima that is flooded with thousands of visitors each month. He wore a backpack and drew a giant black phallic shape on the stone which is more than 600 years old and a World Heritage Site. Peru's ministry of culture said the culprit showed 'a grave disrespect toward our history and cultural heritage, as well as a violation of the regulations that protect archaeological heritage sites. 'We express our strongest condemnation of this regrettable act of vandalism,' the ministry emphasised in its statement. Authorities have not yet identified the attacker but he could face up to six years behind bars if he is caught under Peruvian heritage protection statutes. The clip of the incident has made its rounds of social media, leaving viewers stunned at how he was able to damage the wall unchallenged. Others questioned why the site was not better protected. Chan Chan was the capital of the Chimu kingdom before it fell to the Incas in the 15th century and it remains one of Peru's most important archaeological sites. The Citadel of Chan Chan was built on an area of approximately 20 square kilometers, featured ten palaces, and at its peak housed approximately 30,000 inhabitants.
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Science
- Daily Mail
Archaeologists find 3,500-year-old city in Peru which once served as a trading hub - with sculptures and jewellery inside
An ancient city has been discovered in Peru that once was a trading hub thousands of years ago. The 3,500-year-old settlement, named Peñico, is located in the northern Barranca province - close to where the Caral civilisation, the oldest on the America, developed 5,000 years ago. Archaeologists believe Peñico was likely a trading hub linking Pacific coast cultures with those in the Andes mountains and the Amazon basin. Ceremonial temples and residential complexes were uncovered as well as a circular structure on a hillside terrace, with remains of stone and mud buildings constructed some 600m above sea level. 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. The then-bustling city - with 18 surviving structures that have been studied in the last eight years - would have been at its peak at around the same time as early civilisations in the Middle East and Asia, between 1,800 and 1,500 BC. But what has intrigued archaeologists most is that Peñico 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. 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. In May, a vandal sparked outrage after being filmed spray painting a penis onto a wall at an ancient Peruvian UNESCO site. In footage, the man was seen spraying the crude graffiti on one of the original walls of Chan Chan, a pre-Columbian city 300 miles north of Lima that is flooded with thousands of visitors each month. He wore a backpack and drew a giant black penis on the stone which is more than 600 years old and a World Heritage Site. Peru's ministry of culture said the culprit showed 'a grave disrespect toward our history and cultural heritage, as well as a violation of the regulations that protect archaeological heritage sites. 'We express our strongest condemnation of this regrettable act of vandalism,' the ministry emphasised in its statement. Authorities have not yet identified the attacker but he could face up to six years behind bars if he is caught under Peruvian heritage protection statutes. The clip of the incident has made its rounds of social media, leaving viewers stunned at how he was able to damage the wall unchallenged. Others questioned why the site was not better protected. Chan Chan was the capital of the Chimu kingdom before it fell to the Incas in the 15th century and it remains one of Peru's most important archaeological sites. The Citadel of Chan Chan was built on an area of approximately 20 square kilometers, featured ten palaces, and at its peak housed approximately 30,000 inhabitants. It is regarded as the largest mud city in the world. The complex features temples, residential structures, and storage buildings, any adorned with intricate and symbolic carvings. Together with the stone citadels of Machu Picchu and Caral, Chan Chan forms the most important archaeological complexes in Peru.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Archaeologists in Peru unveil 3,500-year-old city that linked coast and Andes
Archaeologists unveil Peñico, a city that thrived 3,500 years ago, linking Pacific coast cultures with those in the Amazon. 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. 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 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.
South China Morning Post
27-06-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong has potential to become green marine fuel hub with Beijing's backing
Hong Kong can become a regional trading hub for green marine fuel and help augment China's influence on supply and pricing, according to an industry player. Advertisement 'Hong Kong's advantages lie in its roles as an international free port, shipping and financial hub, and the government's willingness to support energy transition and green finance,' said Leo Yang Xiaohu, president of CIMC Enric Holdings, which built the city's first hydrogen refuelling station and related infrastructure in 2023. By boosting domestic green fuel demand , Hong Kong can help Beijing fend off trade barriers overseas and enhance the nation's influence on its pricing, Yang said in an interview on Wednesday. 'If Hong Kong can develop a trading hub, we can have a bigger say in green fuel trading and pricing,' Yang said. The European Union, the world's largest biodiesel market, last August imposed anti-dumping duties on Chinese biodiesel, prompting producers to seek alternative markets. Last year, the government published an action plan to develop Hong Kong into a green fuel bunkering or shipping-fuel supply centre . In February, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po pledged to provide tax exemptions for importing and consuming green methanol. (Clockwise from top left) Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan, CIMC Enric Holdings president Leo Yang Xiaohu, CIMC Enric Technology Innovation Sharing Centre general manager Li Dong and principal assistant secretary of the Transport and Logistics Bureau Klaus Chan, at the MOU signing ceremony on Wednesday. Photo: Handout Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan Mei-po said in a statement on Wednesday that the Marine Department would gazette the code of practice for methanol bunkering this month.
