The Cerro Pátapo ruins or Northern Wari ruins are the remains of an entire
Ayacucho Region
to the south.
The discovery was announced on 16 December 2008 by the lead
archeologist, Cesar Soriano. The ruins both present the first evidence of Wari influence found in Northern Peru and by their quality and extent, show this was an important site.[1] Located 14 miles (23 km) from Chiclayo, the ruins stretch over an area of 3 miles (4.8 km).[2]
The Wari
pre-Columbian civilization was predominantly based in south-central Peru between the 7th and 12th centuries (600 to 1100 CE.) It was known for having constructed a network of roads, and had an extensive territory.[1][3] Scholars note its complex, distinctive architecture, monuments and roadbuilding as evidence that it was an empire.[citation needed
]
Discovery
The city was part of the
Andes mountains, mostly in south-central Peru, between the 7th and 12th centuries CE. The site is remarkably well preserved due to the dry desert climate. Among the artifacts are pottery shards. The site includes evidence of human sacrifice, with special spots set aside and a pile of bones at the bottom of a cliff. Well-preserved remains have been found of one young woman.[1][2]
The ruins are expected to help scholars fill the gap in knowledge about
pre-Columbian South America, which was dominated by the Wari culture and the earlier Moche culture. The Moche began at 100 AD and perished around 600 AD.[4]
Earlier in August 2008, archeologists at the Huaca Pucllana ruins in Lima (located some 500 miles or 800 kilometres south of Chiclayo) discovered a mummy that is also thought to be Wari.[2][5] This was a more typical location for such a find, within the territory known to be Wari.
