El Paraíso is an important archaeological site from the Late Archaic Period (3500-1800 BCE) located in the Chillón River Valley on the central coast of Peru.
Recent investigations have uncovered astronomical alignments in structures associated with this pre-Inca site, suggesting the presence of ancient astronomical and calendrical knowledge.
Researchers Robert Benfer, Ivan Šprajc, and others have meticulously studied the relationship between astronomy and architecture at El Paraíso.
They had previously found that two large mounds shaped like animal figures were oriented towards certain significant astronomical events.
In this new research, they focused on nine small platform mounds associated with the animal mounds. Using a geo-referenced map of the site, they measured possible astronomical alignments to the east and west of these structures.
They compared these alignments with calculations of azimuths for events such as solstices and major lunar standstills.
The results were surprising. Out of a total of 14 possible alignments studied, 13 fell within the 1-degree margin of error from the predicted astronomical values.
This cannot be attributed to chance, as the statistical probability of having so many “hits” is extremely low.
The alignments included several temples oriented towards the sunrise on the December solstice and the sunset on the June solstice, as well as four structures pointing to the southernmost lunar standstills. One of the mounds could mark the March equinox.
The researchers conclude that the precision of these alignments suggests that the construction of the mounds was guided by priest-astronomers.
The presence of a complex astronomical and calendrical system could have had religious and economic significance for the ancient populations of the Chillón Valley.
These findings add more evidence of the advanced astronomical knowledge of the cultures of the Preceramic Period on the Peruvian coast.
Sources
Ojeda B, Ocas Quispe A, Benfer RA. Astronomical Alignments from Structures Surrounding Giant Animal Effigy Mounds at El Paraiso, Peru. Latin American Antiquity. 2023:1-19. doi:10.1017/laq.2023.51
- Share on:
Discover more from LBV Magazine English Edition
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
The Mystery of the Parthenon’s Interior Lighting System in Antiquity Revealed
The Parthenon temple on the Acropolis of Athens housed a colossal statue made of gold and ivory, carved by the famous sculptor Phidias in 438 BC. Its view from the…
Secret Room with Tubes Revealing Ritual Use of Hallucinogens to Govern More than 2000 Years Ago Found in Peru
Two thousand years before the Inca Empire extended its dominion over the Andes, a much less known yet culturally influential society—known as the Chavín Phenomenon—had already developed numerous artistic expressions,…
How Robert Guiscard Used an Impostor Monk to Try to Conquer the Byzantine Empire with a Norman Army
In 1081, while the Byzantine Empire was mired in a succession crisis, Robert Guiscard, Norman Duke of Apulia-Calabria, sought to take advantage and launched his conquest. To maintain appearances, he…
Maya Tattoo Tools Discovered for the First Time
Archaeologists from universities in the United States and Denmark found, deep within the Actun Uayazba Kab cave in Belize, two small stone tools dated between 250 and 900 AD that…
Cuju, the Oldest Form of Soccer in the World Played in Ancient China
For centuries in China, men and women gathered to play a game called Cuju. Considered an ancient form of soccer, a pastime, but also a political tool, it played a…
Scientists Create a “Black Hole Bomb” in the Laboratory for the First Time
A team of researchers has succeeded in recreating for the first time in a laboratory experiment a phenomenon that until now only existed as a theory in the realm of…
A Porticoed Road and a Bronze Panther Found in Augusta Raurica, the Best-Preserved Roman City North of the Alps
As part of a major construction project, the Cantonal Archaeology of Aargau carried out a rescue excavation between early May 2024 and the end of March 2025. This significantly expanded…
A Third Roman Fortress Discovered in the Northern Sinai Peninsula
The Egyptian archaeological mission affiliated with the Supreme Council of Antiquities announced the discovery of a group of defensive structures, military barracks, and a system of moats that could indicate…
The Triton Baths in Southeastern Rome Were Converted into a Christian Church During Late Antiquity, Discovery Reveals
In the southeastern area of the city of Rome, archaeologists excavating inside the Triton Baths, built in the 2nd century A.D. within the monumental complex of the Villa di Sette…
Why Did Some Animals Become Fossils While Others Simply Vanished? A Study Reveals That Size Matters
Why did some animals from ancient eras become fossils, while others simply disappeared without a trace? The answer, at least in part, may lie within their own bodies, according to…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
