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4,000-Year-Old "Fire Altar" Unearthed in Peru
Archaeology Magazine ^ | June 2, 2025 | editors / unattributed

Posted on 06/28/2025 8:03:37 AM PDT by SunkenCiv

The Kansas City Star reports that Peruvian authorities made a stunning new discovery at the site of Era de Pando in the Supe Valley. The region was home to the Caral culture, which is often considered the oldest city-building civilization in the Americas. Previous excavations at Era de Pando have unearthed four large and four small pyramid complexes, and at least 40 other buildings, including houses and temples, that date back at least 4,000 years. While working near one of the largest pyramids, archaeologists recently uncovered the ruins of a structure known as a "fire altar." The circular feature, which measures 22 feet across, is attached to a rectangular courtyard that is accessed by a staircase descending from a ceremonial hall. Fire altars are often found within close proximity to pyramids or the residences of high-ranking officials. During private ceremonies, political, social, or religious leaders would gather to perform sacred rituals where they burned offerings that often included beads, quartz fragments, mollusks, and other seafood.

(Excerpt) Read more at archaeology.org ...


TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: andes; caral; eradepando; godsgravesglyphs; peru; precolumbian; supevalley

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Aerial photo of Era de Pando, Peru
Peruvian Ministry of Culture
Peruvian Ministry of Culture

1 posted on 06/28/2025 8:03:37 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
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To: StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1ofmanyfree; 21twelve; 24Karet; 2ndDivisionVet; 31R1O; ...

2 posted on 06/28/2025 8:04:53 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Politics do not make strange bedfellows, and the enemy of your enemy may still be your enemy.)
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To: SunkenCiv

Aliens.

100%


3 posted on 06/28/2025 8:05:09 AM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is opinion or satire. Or both.)
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To: SunkenCiv

Civ, what are your thoughts on the Paracas โ€œcone headโ€ skulls from Peru?


4 posted on 06/28/2025 8:37:56 AM PDT by miliantnutcase
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To: SunkenCiv

I just love the smell of burned quartz in the morning.


5 posted on 06/28/2025 8:45:53 AM PDT by ComputerGuy
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To: SunkenCiv

how did they ever keep the fire burning for 4000 years?


6 posted on 06/28/2025 9:08:04 AM PDT by Bob434 (Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana)
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To: miliantnutcase

Skull binding, which is found in other times and places throughout the world.


7 posted on 06/28/2025 9:08:05 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Politics do not make strange bedfellows, and the enemy of your enemy may still be your enemy.)
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To: BenLurkin

You can’t tell from the photo, but if there is polygonal masonry you could be correct!


8 posted on 06/28/2025 9:09:42 AM PDT by Sawdring
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To: SunkenCiv
The circular feature, which measures 22 feet across, is attached to a rectangular courtyard that is accessed by a staircase descending from a ceremonial hall. Fire altars are often found within close proximity to pyramids or the residences of high-ranking officials. During private ceremonies, political, social, or religious leaders would gather to perform sacred rituals where they burned offerings...

Isn't that always the way? The wealthy and powerful can build 'em as big as they want, whereas the little people are happy if they can afford one of those little DIY kits from Lowes or Home Depot.

9 posted on 06/28/2025 9:44:42 AM PDT by Ezekiel (๐Ÿ†˜๏ธ "Come fly with US". ๐Ÿ”ด Ingenuity -- because the Son of David begins with MARS โ™‚๏ธ, aka every man)
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To: SunkenCiv

I had to do a search about the Caral Culture’s sacrifice of beads and shells and stuff. I don’t know how much stuff they have uncovered, but they have only found two children and a baby that were sacrificed, and seem to indicate human sacrifice was fairly rare.


10 posted on 06/28/2025 9:19:01 PM PDT by 21twelve (Ever Vigilant - Never Fearful)
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To: SunkenCiv

Zoroastrians in Peru??

Iranians were the first in the new world? ,,๐Ÿ˜


11 posted on 06/29/2025 4:52:33 AM PDT by Cronos
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To: Cronos
Zoroastrians in Peru??

I would. not be surprised. I think humans were coming to the "New World", whether intentionally or mishaps of navigation long after the Bering Strait bridge sank below the waves, and long before Columbus or the Vikings.

12 posted on 06/29/2025 4:58:48 AM PDT by Sirius Lee ("Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.โ€)
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