ANCASH, PERU—According to a report by the Andina News Agency, a unique sculptural ceramic vessel found at the site of Chankillo continues to underscore the connection between solar rituals and the military power of the elites who lived in the Casma Valley more than 2,300 years ago. The Chankillo Archaeoastronomical Complex features 13 monumental towers that are believed to be part of the oldest solar observatory in the Americas. By watching the sunrise or sunset from these special observation platforms, Chankillo’s ancient inhabitants would have been able to accurately determine important dates. Recent excavations near the entrance to the sacred structure uncovered a broken ceramic container belonging to the Patazca style that depicts warriors in full combat. Given the findspot, researchers suggest that the vessel was deliberately broken as part of a ritual offering. The artifact’s iconography also has links to another one of the site’s monuments, the so-called Fortified Temple, which measures 1,000 feet long and functioned as a political, military, and ritual center. This new discovery reinforces the idea that the rise of Chankillo’s warrior elites and their consolidation of power was achieved through ritual, control of the solar calendar, and military strength. For more on ancient Peru, go to "Peru's Great Urban Experiment."
