Ruptly
"Archaeologists working at the archaeological settlement of Aspero, on the central coast of Peru, discovered a structure that would have been used for astronomical observation and the study of natural phenomena by inhabitants of the Caral civilization, one of the oldest in the Americas. It is a structure made up of a double oval platform with a central stone or 'huanca' (monolith or elongated natural stone representing deities) located in the upper part of the valley. "The age of this structure dates between 3,000 and 1,800 years before Christ, during the development period of the Caral civilization. It is important because it demonstrates the importance that the study of astronomy had in the origins of Andean civilization," said David Palomino, Head of the Aspero archaeological site. The discovery was made during excavations in sector J1 of the archaeological site, located in the Supe Valley. Researchers indicated that the structure would have been used to observe astronomical phenomena and record natural changes essential for the economic activities of the time, especially fishing and commercial exchange with agricultural communities from the interior of the valley. Specialists indicated that the structure was strategically built near the main pyramidal buildings of the settlement and oriented toward the coastline, allowing ancient inhabitants to observe the movement of the Sun, the Moon, and certain stars or constellations. "This finding is relevant because (...) the civilization of the fishermen (...) needed knowledge of the cycles of the Sun and the Moon, precisely to understand and relate them to activities, especially fishing and shellfish gathering," added Palomino. The Caral Civilization developed approximately 5,000 years ago in the Supe Valley, in the present-day Lima region, and is considered the oldest civilization in the Americas. Its social organization emerged almost in parallel with other great cultures of the ancient world such as Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, and China. Caral stood out for the development of planned urban centers, monumental architecture, commercial exchange networks, and scientific knowledge related to astronomy and engineering. Unlike other early civilizations, it was characterized by development based on economic and social cooperation, with a strong relationship between agricultural and fishing communities."
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