Túcume facts for kids
General view of the site
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 Location in Peru
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| Alternative name | Purgatorio |
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| Region | Mochumi, Lambayeque Province, Lambayeque Region, Peru |
| Coordinates | 06°30′57″S 79°50′39″W / 6.51583°S 79.84417°W |
| Type | Settlement |
| Area | 2.185 km2 (0.844 sq mi) |
| History | |
| Founded | 800 |
| Abandoned | 1532 |
| Periods | Middle Horizon to Late Horizon |
| Cultures | Sican, Chimú, Inca |
Túcume is an amazing ancient site in Peru. It's located south of the La Leche River, near a mountain called La Raya. This huge area covers more than 540 acres (about 2.2 square kilometers). It has 26 large pyramids and mounds! Local people sometimes call this area Purgatorio, which means purgatory.
Túcume was a very important city long ago. It might have even been the capital for several ancient cultures. First, the Lambayeque (also known as Sican) lived here from about 800 to 1350 AD. After them, the Chimú people took over, from about 1350 to 1450 AD. Finally, the powerful Inca ruled Túcume from 1450 until 1532 AD. Some local spiritual healers still connect with Túcume and La Raya Mountain in their traditions.
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The wide plains of Túcume are part of the Lambayeque region. This is the biggest valley on the northern coast of Peru. The Lambayeque Valley has many natural and human-made waterways. It also has the remains of about 250 old, crumbling mud-brick pyramids.
See also
- In Spanish: Túcume para niños
