Bandurria, Peru facts for kids
Bandurria is an ancient place in Peru where people lived a very long time ago. It's an important archaeological site found near the Huaura River. It's located about 3 kilometers south of the city of Huacho. This site dates back to a period called the 'Late Preceramic' time, which was roughly between 4000 and 2000 BC. That means it's over 4,000 years old!
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What is Bandurria?
Bandurria is a large area where archaeologists study the remains of an ancient settlement. It's located close to the Pacific Ocean, in a spot called Playa Chica. A person named Domingo Torero Fernandez de Cordova first discovered this site in 1973. The entire area covers about 54 hectares, which is like 100 football fields! Teams of archaeologists, led by Alejandro Chu, have been studying this special place.
Why is Bandurria important?
Bandurria is very important because it shows us how early people lived on the coast of Peru. It's one of the first places where we see signs of ceremonial stone buildings. This means people were starting to build special structures for important events.
How old is Bandurria?
When Bandurria was first studied in the 1970s, scientists used a method called radiocarbon dating. This helped them figure out that the site was from around 2500 to 2300 BC. Later, in 2007, new tests showed that Bandurria is even older! It's now believed to be from around 3200 BC. This makes it older than Caral, another famous ancient city in Peru. Caral is about 33 kilometers away from Bandurria.
What did archaeologists find?
Archaeologists found two main parts at Bandurria. One part was where people lived in their homes. Sadly, much of this area was damaged by an irrigation project that started in 1973.
The other part has amazing monumental architecture. At first, these looked like natural hills. But after careful study, scientists found at least four large mounds and several smaller ones. These mounds are actually ancient buildings made of big stones and mortar. This shows that Bandurria was an early urban center, meaning it was a planned town or city.
Protecting Bandurria
Unfortunately, parts of Bandurria have been damaged over the years. This started when the nearby irrigation project began in 1973. Later, some people built homes on parts of the ancient site.
However, many people are working to protect Bandurria. The Peruvian National Institute of Culture is trying to keep the site safe. The local government also supports these efforts. Students from a university in Huacho are helping to preserve this important piece of history. They want to make sure future generations can learn from Bandurria.
See also
In Spanish: Bandurria (sitio arqueológico) para niños
