Overview
- The Ministry of Culture said excavations revealed a solar‑oriented structure interpreted as predating Chankillo’s Thirteen Towers observatory, built around 250 B.C.
- Officials emphasized that the claim of greater antiquity remains provisional pending radiocarbon results from the ongoing investigations.
- Archaeologists identified a corridor intentionally aligned with the lunar cycle, indicating combined solar and lunar observations at the complex.
- A Patazca‑style ceremonial vessel about one meter tall, decorated with modeled warrior figures, was found in a restricted sector, pointing to elite ritual and military authority linked to astronomy.
- Restoration continues on the Thirteen Towers and the solar observatory with the goal of opening this sector to visitors in the coming years, and the site has been a UNESCO World Heritage property since 2021.