A joint expedition of Peruvian and Japanese archaeologists has uncovered an ancestral worship spot dating back far before the arrival of Spanish settlers. The site, located within the Jequetepeque Valley in Cajamarca's San Miguel province, close to the Ecuadorian border, comprises forebears’ vestiges, burial vaults, and offerings crafted from ceramics.
On Saturday, Japanese archaeologist Shinya Watanabe disclosed to media sources the discovery of an archaeological site from the Wari era, dating back to between the years 800 and 1000, in the Cajamarca region, located 900 kilometers (560 miles) north of the Peruvian capital.
"Two burial chambers with pits for placing mummies and offerings to the ancestors were found at the site," the archeologist remarked.
Each of these sepulchral compartments is a two-tiered design arrangement, each sporting five alcoves embedded in the walls, holding a treasure trove of items like earthenware shards, mollusk shell remnants, and a tripod plate upheld by three cone-shaped bases.
Also among the discoveries was a package containing a female effigy, a dark-hued Wari ceremonial pottery, two harmonious clay wind instruments, and two copper clasps.
"It is a great find because the archaeologists were looking for evidence of the Wari culture," stated Shinya Watanabe, a professor at Nanzan University in Japan.
According to Watanabe, this locale was home to a heterogeneous population, serving as a sacred center devoted to venerating their forebears.
As the leader of Cajamarca's culture office, Judith Padilla, expressed, these discoveries offer a glimpse into "the lifestyle and ritual practices" of the past civilizations that resided within this region.
The Wari culture endured from the 7th to the 13th centuries within the region encompassing present-day Peru. Nevertheless, by 1100 AD, the ascendant Inca Empire had subjugated the Wari.
The Project for Archaeological Exploration (PAE) Terlen-La Bomba uncovered this, spanning an expansive 24 hectares, or 60 acres.
According to the Peru's Ministry of Culture, the principal goal of this study is to comprehend the socio-political framework of the Cajamarca culture during the Middle Horizon era (900 to 1000 AD) and its interactions with the Wari culture.