Two 4,000 Year Old Temples Discovered at Jaen, Northern Peru

Submitted by Ann on Wed, 09/22/2010 - 19:31

Archaeologists have discovered two ancient temples – over 4000 years old – in Peru's northern jungle. If the preliminary dating is correct, this is the country's oldest temple building found so far.

The temples were found near the village of Jaén, Cajamarca, in northern Peru. The excavation sites (image slideshow), locally known as Monte Grande and San Isidro, were previously used for agriculture and even as a rubbish dump.

The Excavations at the Monte Grande and San Isidro Temples

The complex appears to have been built around 2,000 BC.

According to Peruvian archaeologist Quirino Olivera, the temples can be associated with the early Bracamoros culture, a confederations of Amazonian tribal groups that inhabited the present-day Peru-Ecuador border.

Olivera says the temples are unique. Not only because of their age, but also due to their location – a contact zone between the jungle and the Andes mountains.

“We could be facing one of the earliest civilisations of Peru. If we keep digging we could find evidence dating back to before Chavín, Caral and Ventarrón cultures. Nor in the Andes, nor on the coast has anything been found that is quite so old,” Olivera told the El Comercio.

The excavations started May this year, when the archaeologist - helped by the Jean locals - unearthed large semi-circular walls, constructed using mud mortar and stones that weigh up to 200 kilos.

There are eight distinct different phases of construction, all perfectly aligned – and the complex walls are decorated with different colours of mud.

In the temples, an estimated 14 burials were discovered.

The human remains found include bones of infants and adolescents, possible placed there as offerings.

Among the artefacts are spondylus shells, indicating that the people of northeastern Peru traded with the peoples on the coast of Ecuador.

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About The Author

Ann Wuyts (follow me: e-mail or

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Last three pieces by this author:

Unique Iron Age Hoard goes on display at Ipswich Museum | Royal Artefacts - Including King Tut's Golden Trumpet - Returned to Egyptian Museum Cairo | SCA releases full list of treasures missing from the Cairo Museum

Ann 'Vint' Wuyts (on Google+) is looking after the Heritage Key community and avatar health & entertainment. She is slightly fascinated by everything to do with 3D technology and what's commonly defined as 'Web 2.0'. When she grows up, Ann - eventually - wants to be a mummy. Favourite game: Buzzword…

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