Archaeologists in Peru have uncovered a remarkable 3,800-year-old ritual offering at the ancient city of Peñico, shedding new light on the enduring legacy of the Caral civilisation after the decline of its earliest urban centres.
The discovery was announced by Peru’s Ministry of Culture following excavations carried out by researchers from the Caral Archaeological Zone (ZAC), led by Dr Ruth Shady Solís. The offering was unearthed within the Major Public Building at Peñico, an archaeological site in the Huaura Province of the Lima region dating to between 1800 and 1500 BC.
According to the research team, the objects were deliberately deposited as part of a ceremonial ritual during the construction of a new platform within the public building, highlighting the site’s continued importance as a centre of political and religious authority in the centuries following the decline of the Caral civilisation.
The offering consists of 43 carved wooden and bone objects, several of which bear intricate engraved designs, while others show evidence of exposure to fire. Among the artefacts are representations of mythical beings, anthropomorphic figures—including a female figure and possible deities—as well as depictions of birds, snakes and tadpoles. Geometric and abstract motifs were also identified.
Several of the objects feature small cavities believed to have held mineral or semi-precious stone inlays, suggesting they played an important role in ceremonial practices.
Additional items recovered from the deposit include three beads, three fragments of chrysocolla, two fragments of beads made from the shells of terrestrial gastropods belonging to the Orthalicidae family, nine shell-crafted eye inlays intended for sculptures, and eight smaller artefacts whose purpose is still under investigation.
The offering was discovered within a carefully prepared deposit measuring just 22 centimetres in length. The ritual cache had been placed inside a small semicircular arrangement of pebbles and sealed beneath a large stone, indicating a deliberate ceremonial act associated with the construction of the public building.
Researchers believe the discovery provides compelling evidence that the cultural traditions established by the Caral civilisation continued long after its principal cities were abandoned.
Founded around 1800 BC, Peñico covers approximately 19.4 hectares and lies roughly 13 kilometres from the Sacred City of Caral-Supe. Archaeological investigations have identified 15 public buildings at the site, which appears to have served as an important centre linking Peru’s coastal communities with populations in the Andean highlands while maintaining exchange networks that extended into the rainforest.
Experts found great similarities among the new artefacts with those of earlier Caral sites in terms of materials, engraving techniques and iconographic themes. Archaeological evidence also indicates that the offering was deposited during the earliest stages of construction of the Major Public Building as part of dedication ceremonies intended to consecrate the structure.
The Ministry of Culture said the discovery demonstrated that the knowledge, beliefs and ritual traditions developed by the Caral civilisation survived the collapse of its earliest urban centres, and were adopted in later Andean societies as cultural expressions.
The announcement comes a week before the second Peñico Raymi festival that will happen on 11 July. After nine years of archaeological research and conservation at the site, it will be free. We will be performing traditional ceremonies honouring Pachamama, cultural performances and activities celebrating the history of the region.
Sources : Peruvian State
