杏吧性世界

Unearthing the Sacred: Excavations at the Puemape Temple Complex, Northern Peru

By Charles, Stanish, August 21, 2025

Our field season this year focused on the site of Puemape in the Chicama valley of northern Peru.  We excavated a 3000 year old temple complex that was buried under several 100 tons of sand. This site had been excavated in the 1980s by the archaeologist Carlos Elera who concentrated on the later cemetery area to the north and east of the site. Elera had discovered the temple but left most of it untouched because he was focused on burials. Our team excavated part of the temple last year, and we found 19 intrusive burials. By intrusive we mean that these burials were later than the temple itself and indicated that in spite of the fact that the temple had been abandoned, the area continued to be an important sacred and ritual space for the people of the region.

The first week of excavations consisted of removing that many tons of sand that had covered up the temple over 3 millennia. In our previous season, we were able to obtain carbon in a small test pit that allowed us to state that the earliest occupation was around 2000 BC, followed by the construction of the temple at 1000 BC, and was alternately abandoned in the middle of the first Millennium BC. As you can see in the images, we were able to expose of virtually intact set of walls. The temple is practically square measuring 19 meters on a side. The site was oriented about 14掳 off of cardinal directions.

We discovered a beautiful stairway that led up to the center of the temporal surface. There was actually very little inside the temple, which is quite common for ritual architecture of this nature at this time period in Peru. However the excavations did show the construction of the wall using a series of local limestone blocks to create an absolutely beautiful space. We also discovered that several stones aligned with solstice and equinox sunrises and sunsets. It has been well established over the course of two decades of research, that ancient Peruvian people's used these solar markers to create a ritual calendar.

The stairs are exposed. The archaeologists are on the surface of the temple area. We are excavating a small sounding to find earlier occupations at the site. 

The walls of the temple are now exposed allowing us to get a full picture of the extent of the temple area. 

Excavations to the south of the temple indicated that people converged on the site and prepared and consumed foods and what is almost certainly feasting events. One of the reasons that people constructed these temples was to create where they could congregate and engage in a whole variety the socially rich practices that included ritual dances, exchange of goods, exchanging information and marriage partners, and generally created a great place to reinforce community norms of cooperation.

The sunrise at the equinox showing the sun bathing the temple early in the morning. (R. Jos茅 Roman).

The time period of 1000 BC is extremely important in the development of social and political complexity in the northern valleys of Peru. Beginning about one Millennium earlier very complex cultures developed in the region building elaborate monumental architecture, temples, intensive agricultural systems, and creating regional alliances among the many peoples of the region. The site of Puemape promises to provide many stunning new discoveries as we excavate the surrounding villages and the areas around the temple itself. We look forward to more research next year and in the years to come.

Sunset on the beach near the site of Puemape.