Imagine a meeting place built before the Great Pyramids. This is exactly the kind of place two anthropologists from the University of Wyoming encountered; a 4,750-year-old circular field in the Cajamarca Basin in Peru; A great discovery in Andean archaeology.

A team of researchers led by Professor Jason Tuha and Professor Melissa Murphy discovered the site at the Kallakpum archaeological site. It is distinguished by a unique construction method of large, vertically arranged megalithic stones not previously found in the Andes.

It was built approximately 4,750 years ago, according to radiocarbon dating, making it one of the oldest monumental structures in the Americas.

This circular square is a previously unknown chapter in the history of the Cajamarca Valley. It testifies to the complex social organization and ritual practices of the early inhabitants, who lived mainly by hunting and gathering. The size of the square and the way it was built indicate a significant social effort and cultural significance.

This discovery allows for further research: What purposes did the square serve? How did this construction method develop and spread? What can it tell us about the life and beliefs of the early Andites? Source