A 5,000-year-old ceremonial temple and human skeletons. In Peru, archaeologists have unearthed valuable finds

In the Zanja region of northwestern Peru, archaeologists have discovered the ruins of a ceremonial temple that is approximately 5,000 years old. During excavations, scientists found human skeletons under a sand dune.

The archaeologists found the valuable findings during the first phase of research work under the Ukupe-Zanja Valley Cultural Landscapes Archaeological Project. The discovered temple is part of the archaeological complex Los Paredones de la Otra Banda-Las Animas, writes LiveScience.

Researchers have uncovered the remains of the walls of a multi-story temple after excavations began in the early summer of 2024.

"We're probably looking at a 5,000-year-old religious complex that is in an archaeological space defined by walls built of clay. We have a central staircase from which we could climb to a kind of stage in the central part of the temple," said Luis Armando Muro Inoñan, director of the Ucupe-Zanja Valley Cultural Landscapes Archaeological Project.

The walls of the temple were decorated with elaborate friezes depicting a human body with a bird's head, feline features and reptilian claws. The upper parts of the walls were covered with thin plaster with pictorial designs.

Between the walls of the ancient temple, archaeologists discovered the depressed skeletons of three adult humans. Burials containing sacrifices wrapped in cloth indicate that this may have been a place of sacrifice.

In the second archaeological excavation block, researchers uncovered a ceremonial architectural structure from the late Moche period, dating somewhere between 600 and 700 AD.

The Moche, who performed human sacrifices, are known for their large temples and remarkable works of art, particularly ceramic goblets resembling human heads.

At this site, a team of archaeologists also identified the burial of a child aged about 5-6 years old, dating to a later period.

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