Cajamarquilla facts for kids
Cajamarquilla is an ancient city in Peru. It's a huge archaeological site, meaning it's a place where scientists study old buildings and objects to learn about the past. This amazing old city is located about 25 kilometers (15 miles) from the modern city of Lima. It sits in the Jicamarca Valley, near the Rímac River. Cajamarquilla covers a very large area, about 167 hectares (which is like 400 football fields!), making it one of the biggest ancient sites in Peru.
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What Was Cajamarquilla Like?
Cajamarquilla was built mostly from adobe, which is a type of sun-dried mud brick. It was a very important trading center for the ancient Lima culture. People lived here for about 1,000 years, starting around the year 0.
Why Was It Important?
This city was in a great spot! It was in a fertile valley, which means it had good land for farming. It was also on a major trade route that connected the high Andes mountains with the communities along the Pacific coast. Because of its location, Cajamarquilla grew into a busy and advanced center for culture, religion, and business.
What Can You See There?
When you visit Cajamarquilla today, you can see the remains of many different buildings. These include:
- Large temple-pyramids
- Wide streets
- Special squares for ceremonies
- Old cemeteries
- Underground places to store grain
- Ancient canals for water
- Many other buildings and walls
All these structures were built using mud bricks and plaster.
Amazing Discoveries
Archaeologists are scientists who study ancient cultures. They have made some incredible discoveries at Cajamarquilla.
The Ancient Mummy
In November 2021, a team of archaeologists from the National University of San Marcos found a mummy at the site. This mummy is about 800 years old and belonged to a culture that lived before the famous Inca Empire. The mummy was found tied with strings, and its hands were covering its face. Researchers believe this was a special funeral custom in southern Peru long ago.
More Discoveries
In February 2022, archaeologists announced another exciting find. They discovered six mummified children! These children are thought to be between 1,000 and 1,200 years old. Scientists believe they were placed in the tomb to accompany an important adult man in the afterlife. According to archaeologist Pieter Van Dalen, these children were likely relatives and were carefully placed one above the other in different parts of the tomb.
Why Was Cajamarquilla Abandoned?
After many centuries, people eventually left Cajamarquilla. This happened several hundred years before the Spanish conquest of Peru. Scientists believe that changes in the climate and natural disasters, like earthquakes, made it difficult to live there. These events likely led to the city being abandoned.
See also
In Spanish: Cajamarquilla para niños
