Pre-Columbian ruin discovered in Peru
January 25, 2007U.S. explorer Keith Muscutt says archeologists discovered a pre-Columbian ruin in Peru.
Muscutt said the ruin, located in the cloud-forested eastern slope of the Andes, is believed to belong to the ancient Chachapoya, a civilization that flourished in the upper Amazon between the ninth and 15th centuries.
Muscutt made the announcement this month during the annual meeting of the Institute for Andean Studies at the University of California-Berkeley.
Discovered by Octavio, Merlin and Edison Anazco, news of the discovery was relayed to Muscutt who, guided by the Anazcos, arrived at the site and conducted a preliminary survey last August.
"This is an exciting development for Chachapoya archaeology," said Muscutt. "The main building is a stepped, rectangular structure made up of three tiers. This building is about 200 feet long, 100 feet wide, 24 feet high and oriented to the cardinal points of the compass. As far as I can tell, apart from some drainage shafts, it's completely solid."
The ruin will be featured in the Discovery Channel's series "Chasing Mummies," which is to premier next year.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International
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