Archaeologists excavating the Chupacigarro site in Peru have uncovered a previously unknown pyramidal structure. The discovery, led by Dr. Ruth Shady and a multidisciplinary team from the Caral Archaeological Zone, was found in Sector F of Chupacigarro, located one kilometer west of the Sacred City of Caral-Supe in the Supe Valley.
The Caral civilization, one of the oldest urban societies on the American continent, flourished between 3000 and 1800 BCE. The city of Caral served as a primary city and influenced subsequent Andean cultures with its urban planning and architectural innovations. The structure discovered at Chupacigarro adds further insight into deciphering the sprawling urban network of this civilization.
The structure was concealed beneath dense vegetation, such as dry huarango trees, which had to be removed to reveal its stone walls. Finally, archaeologists successfully identified at least three overlapping platforms forming a pyramidal shape. Vertically placed massive stones, known as huancas, indicate the building’s corners, as well as the central stairway leading up to its summit. This style of construction dates back to the monumental works of Caral.
“Research into this new building will enable the team from the Caral Archaeological Zone to fully understand the urban layout of the Chupacigarro settlement,” stated the Peruvian Ministry of Culture.
The Chupacigarro settlement is part of a wider settlement system in the Supe Valley, strategically located along a natural communication route connecting the valley with the Huaura coast. The settlement extends over an area of 38.59 hectares. At least 12 characteristic structures are known in Chupacigarro, most of them public or ceremonial and arranged around a central space; its most important feature is the Main Building, with its sunken circular plaza, an iconic element of Caral architecture.
The many architectural types and phases of construction at Chupacigarro suggest various uses for this site, which could have served to extend the Sacred City of Caral-Supe. Some scholars suggest a possible private or religious function for this place because it lies secluded in a small ravine.
Chupacigarro’s most striking feature is a geoglyph of a human head in profile, made according to the Sechín style. The figure is made with angular rocks, measures 62.1 by 30.3 meters, and is visible only from certain angles within the settlement. The design shows a face looking east, an eye closed, a mouth open, and what seems to be hair blown by the wind or perhaps blood running from the head.
Some archaeologists believe that this geoglyph probably had a ceremonial function, perhaps indicative of the Caral civilization’s religious or cosmological perspectives. Further, its careful placement within the site suggests some involvement in the broader cultural and ritual landscape of the region.
This discovery of the pyramid-shaped structure will make a major contribution to the understanding of urban planning and architectural sophistication in Caral. Further excavations and studies will allow archaeologists to determine its exact function within the Chupacigarro settlement.
More information: Ministry of Culture of Peru
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