Researchers have unearthed a temple and theater on Peru’s coast that are about 3500 years older than the famous Inca civilization. It was incredible, says Muro Ynoñán, a research scientist at the Field Museum in Chicago. This finding sheds light on the early origins of religion in Peru, revealing new insights into how complex belief systems began in the Andes.
Peru’s most renowned archaeological site, Machu Picchu, was built by the Inca Empire around 600 years ago. However, the newly discovered temple predates Machu Picchu by approximately 3500 years, marking it as an ancient structure built long before the Incas and their predecessors like the Moche and Nazca cultures. We don’t know what these ancient people called themselves. All we know about them comes from what they left behind: their houses, temples, and burial goods, says Ynoñán.
The discovery site, named La Otra Banda, Cerro Las Animas, came to the researchers’ attention in 2023 when local authorities alerted them to looting activities near the historic town of Zaña. They sought the help of Ynoñán’s team to study and protect the area. With funds raised by organizations like Dumbarton Oaks, Archaeology in Action, and the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, archaeologists began excavations in June 2024.
The team started by excavating a 33-by-33-foot area, carefully removing centuries of accumulated sediment. At just six feet deep, they discovered signs of ancient mud and clay walls. It was surprising that these very old structures were so close to the modern surface, Ynoñán remarked.
As they dug deeper, the archaeologists found evidence of a once-magnificent temple. We believe a large temple was built on the mountainside, and we’ve uncovered part of it, says Ynoñán. One of the most thrilling discoveries was a small theater with a backstage area and a staircase leading to a stage-like platform, possibly used for ritual performances in front of a select audience.
Near the theater’s stairs, the team found clay panels adorned with intricate carvings of a bird-like creature. It is a beautiful and intriguing design of a mythological creature—like an anthropomorphic bird with some reptilian features, Ynoñán explains.
This figure is crucial because it offers clues about the temple’s age and its connection to other ancient temples built by early Andean cultures. Similar mythological images have been found in Peru, dating to the Initial Period around 4000 years ago. Although the Initial Period wasn’t the first time humans lived in the region—people have been in Peru for 15,000 years—it was when coastal societies started developing complex systems around 5000-3000 BC. The Initial Period itself began around 2000 BC and lasted until 900 BC.
The Initial Period is significant because it marks the emergence of institutionalized religion in Peru, says Ynoñán. The bird figure in this temple resembles a known figure from the Chavín region, almost 500 years later. This new site could help us understand the origins of this religion.
Additionally, the team found several large murals on the temple walls. Ynoñán, who specializes in pigment analysis, collected samples to study at the Field Museum’s lab. These samples will also undergo carbon dating to confirm the site’s age.
This discovery offers broader insights into the development of religion and political authority. The people here created complex religious systems and cosmologies. Religion was crucial in the rise of political power, with early leaders embodying mythological figures in performances, Ynoñán explains. This historical insight has contemporary relevance, as religion continues to be used for political purposes.
For Ynoñán, this discovery is personally meaningful. This is the history of my ancestors. Both my mother’s and father’s families come from this area. It’s incredible to connect with these ancient representations of a god that was so important to these early groups, he says. This connection is very special and profound.
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