Overview
- A University of Sydney–led team reports in Antiquity that Monte Sierpe likely began as a regulated barter venue in the Chincha era before serving as an Inca tribute and accounting center.
- The 1.5‑kilometre geoglyph comprises roughly 5,200 precisely aligned holes measuring about 1–2 metres across and up to around 1 metre deep.
- Microbotanical analyses recovered plant residues including maize and basket‑making species from hole sediments, supporting use of lined pits to deposit goods.
- High‑resolution drone imagery mapped numerical regularities and segmented layouts that the authors compare to quipu structures used for record‑keeping.
- The site sits near the Inca administrative center of Tambo Colorado at a junction of pre‑Hispanic roads in a transitional ecological zone, aligning with a role in interregional exchange, yet the authors emphasize that the interpretation remains tentative.