5,000-Year-Old Pyramid from South America's Oldest Civilization Found in Peru

The great civilizations of the ancient Americas were incredibly active and productive, and new evidence of their industriousness and ambition has been discovered at a well-known archaeological hot spot in Peru.

While working near the ancient settlement of Chupacigarro, which is located in the central Andes only 15 miles (23 kilometers) from the Pacific seacoast, a team of researchers uncovered an ancient pyramidal structure designated as Sector F by officials. Not coincidentally, the site of this pyramid is less than a mile to the west of the sacred city of Caral, a recognized World Heritage site connected to the Norte Chico people, who built Peru’s first great culture and the oldest known civilization in the Americas.

The discovery of the ruins of the ancient Andes pyramid was most unexpected, as it had been concealed beneath dense vegetation. Once the trees and bushes were removed during recent excavations, archaeologists were able to identify a series of stone walls that formed at least three overlapping platforms.

Among the notable features, researchers observed large vertically positioned rocks within the walls, which are referred to as "huancas." These stones mark the building’s corners and mark off the central staircase, which provided access to the upper levels of the structure.

One of the most remarkable discoveries at the site was a geoglyph that represents the profile of a head, and was made in the style associated with the Sechín culture, which dates back to the fourth millennium BC. The researchers determined that the huge geoglyph, which measures 203.7 x 99.4 feet ( 62.1 x 30.3 meters), was created using angular stones. It can be viewed from a specific vantage point within the ancient Chupacigarro settlement, and presumably its ancient observers knew exactly who it was designed to commemorate.

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Illustration of the pyramidal structure found at Chupacigarro, plus a map of the site indicating where it was found. (Peruvian Ministry of Culture).

The Significance of the Chupacigarro Pyramidal Structure

Chupacigarro is positioned near a small ravine adjacent to the sacred city of Caral, one of the more remarkable sites inherited from the legendary cultures of the pre-Columbian era. The research team, led by Dr. Ruth Shady, now plans to map the entire site to determine its full extent. The Peruvian government envisions Chupacigarro as an enhancement to the visitor experience at Caral, since the nature of its ruins are similar.

In fact, the newly discovered pyramid is part of a network of structures distributed across various archaeological sites in the greater Supe Valley region. These settlements are attributed to the Caral civilization, a creation of the Norte Chico culture that flourished in pre-Hispanic Peru between 3000 and 1800 B.C.

The area being explored in Chupacigarro contains 12 structures in total, all of which are thought to served public or ceremonial purposes, as they are strategically positioned atop small hills surrounding a central space within the ravine.

The site exhibits architectural diversity in terms of structure size, orientation, and design, suggesting a developed society coordinating a complex agenda. function. Residential structures have been identified on the periphery of the site, with smaller buildings build to surround of the settlement’s central structure, which features a sunken circular plaza—a hallmark of the era.

These findings support the notion that a small urban settlement existed here between 5,000 and 6,000 years ago, spanning approximately 95 acres (38 hectares).

Ground-level view of the newly discovered areas of the Chupacigarro site. (Peruvian Ministry of Culture).

The Fascinating History of the Sacred City of Caral

As civilizations were arising in Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, and India, in the Americas the Norte Chico/Caral civilization of Supe, Peru was in the process of following the same path of development.

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This society, the earliest known civilization of the Americas, established its capital at Caral. The thriving fourth millennium BC metropolis boasted advanced agricultural techniques, a rich cultural heritage, and monumental architecture, including six large pyramidal structures, stone and earthen platform mounds, temples, an amphitheater, sunken circular plazas, and residential zones.

The Supe Valley, located 200 (320 kilometers) miles north of Lima along the Peruvian Pacific coast, was first surveyed in 1905 by German archaeologist Max Uhle, who documented the initial archaeological findings in the region. However, extensive excavations did not commence until decades later.

By the 1970s, researchers realized that what were once believed to be natural hills were actually stepped pyramids. In the 1990s, further excavations exposed the full scope of the ancient city of Caral. A groundbreaking revelation emerged in 2000, when radiocarbon dating of reed carrying bags from the site confirmed that Caral dated back to the Late Archaic period, or around 3000 B.C. This discovery provided the most comprehensive evidence of an early complex society in the Americas.

Caral is one of 18 known settlements in the Supe Valley, covering approximately 160 acres (65 hectares). It is located on an arid desert terrace overlooking the fertile Supe River valley. The site remains remarkably well-preserved and is notable for its intricate architectural layout. The city’s design and features—including pyramidal structures and elite residences—indicate strong ceremonial functions, suggesting the presence of a dominant religious ideology.

At the heart of Caral lies a central public area encircled by six large pyramidal structures (platform mounds) surrounding a vast plaza. The largest of these mounds, occupying a commanding position in the city's layout, stands 60 feet (18 meters) tall and spans 450 x 500 feet (140 X 150 meters) at its base—an area comparable to four football fields.

Central pyramid of the sacred city of Caral, with the Supe River in the background. (Real History).

From the summit of the grand pyramid, Caral’s leaders likely watched over the residents of the city, while admiring the impressive handiwork of their architects and construction experts. A 29-foot- (nine-meter-) wide staircase leads to a series of smaller rooms, including an atrium and a sacred altar. The altar room contains a floor opening, where evidence suggests offerings were once burned.

Caral's public architecture includes stairways, rooms, courtyards, an amphitheater, and three sunken plazas. Housing arrangements appear to have been stratified, with large rooms atop pyramids for the elite, ground-level complexes for artisans, and smaller peripheral dwellings for laborers.

At the peak of its occupation, scholars estimate that Caral had a population of around 3,000 inhabitants. In its “suburb” of Chupacigarro the population would have been smaller, but it still added to the total number of people living in the greater Caral “metropolitan” area.

In 2001, UNESCO designated the Sacred City of Caral in Supe as a World Heritage site.

Stone tools and other assorted artifacts left behind by the Norte Chico people in the city of Caral. (Mayumitorres/CC BY-SA 4.0).

Chupacigarro: A Suburb with a Purpose

An analysis of the newly discovered pyramid’s placement suggests that Chupacigarro was constructed with strategic intent, facilitating interactions among ancient Peruvian societies, particularly those residing in the lower Supe Valley and along the Huaura Coastline. In other words is was built as a trading hub, through which goods could flow back and forth between individuals from different parts of the region.

Coastal communities provided resources, including fish and seafood, which were unavailable to the Chupacigarro settlers. The pyramid itself was not visible from the valley, indicating that it may have functioned as an extension of the Norte Chico capital city of Caral—a suburb, but one focused more on meeting commercial rather than residential needs.

Top image: Ruins of the pyramidal structure unearthed at Chupacigarro, Peru.

Source: Peruvian Ministry of Culture.

By Nathan Falde