America’s Oldest Solar Observatory Unearthed

A 2300-year-old Solar Observatory recently discovered in Chankillo, Coastal Peru (400 kilometres from Lima), has become the oldest one in America. The discovery was made by archaeologists Ivan Ghezzi and Clive Ruggles (from Lima’s Catolica University and the University of Leicester), and successively published in Science Magazine. Chankillo overthrows the 1400-year-old Coricancha observatory, in Cusco, as the oldest in the continent.

The ceremonial complex in north coastal Peru comprises thirteen towers which run north to south along a low ridge. The observing points within the adjacent buildings allowed to follow —almost exactly— the annual rising and setting arcs of the Sun, the equinoxes and solstices. The Chankillo towers thus provide evidence of early solar horizon observations and of the existence of sophisticated Sun cults, preceding the Sun pillars of Incaic Cusco by almost two millennia. The enclave also contained warrior offerings and vestiges of sacrifices, thus confirming the importance of the complex.

Add comment March 4th, 2007