Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of an Inca ritual closure at the Wancasanga archaeological site in the Condebamba Valley of Cajamarca, Peru.
The discovery was made on the summit of Huaman Orco, approximately 3,400 metres above sea level, within an enclosure forming part of the pre-Hispanic settlement.
Excavations revealed 18 complete ceremonial vessels and 11 stone artefacts, including grinding stones, manos and agricultural hoes. The objects were deliberately placed within a layer of fill used to block access between the enclosure and the site’s main plaza.
According to researchers, the careful arrangement of the objects indicates that the deposit was not simply discarded building material. Instead, the enclosure appears to have been deliberately deactivated through a ceremonial act before being permanently sealed.
At the top of the deposit, archaeologists discovered a huanca, a sacred standing stone associated with protective or tutelary functions in Andean religious traditions.
The monolith had been positioned vertically to seal the entrance to the enclosure, suggesting that closing the structure carried both practical and religious significance.
The discovery has also provided archaeologists with evidence for an earlier phase in the development of Wancasanga. The site underwent subsequent modifications, with new structures constructed as its function and organisation changed over time.
Ceramic fragments associated with both the Cajamarca and provincial Inca traditions have also been recovered, providing evidence for different phases of occupation and cultural activity at the settlement.
Archaeologists have additionally identified 12 circular colcas, or storage structures. During the Inca period, such facilities were used for storing agricultural produce and other supplies and formed an important component of the administrative and economic infrastructure of the Inca Empire, or Tahuantinsuyo.
Wancasanga first attracted archaeological attention in 1989, when architect José Pineda Quevedo documented settlement patterns within the valley. More than three decades later, archaeological investigations have resumed with surveys and excavations in sectors C and D.
The latest research aims to improve understanding of the expansion and presence of the Inca Empire in the Cajabamba highlands, as well as Wancasanga’s relationship with other archaeological settlements across the surrounding region.
Header Image Credit : Andina
