Unveiling Peru's 3,500-Year-Old Trading Hub: The City of Peñico

The ancient city of Peñico provides insights into early civilizations, linking coastal communities to the Andes and the Amazon.

Archaeologists have recently made a groundbreaking discovery in Peru’s northern Barranca province, unveiling the ancient city of Peñico, which dates back 3,500 years. Believed to function as a significant trading hub, Peñico connected early communities along the Pacific coast to societies in the Andes mountains and the Amazon basin. The site is located approximately 200 kilometers north of Lima, situated around 600 meters (1,970 feet) above sea level, and is thought to have been founded between 1,800 and 1,500 BC, coinciding with the rise of early civilizations in the Middle East and Asia.

The excavation project, spanning eight years, revealed 18 structures, including ceremonial temples and residential complexes. Aerial drone footage showcased a circular structure at the city’s center, encircled by the remnants of stone and mud buildings. Within the site, researchers unearthed ceremonial artifacts, clay sculptures of both human and animal figures, and intricate necklaces composed of beads and seashells.

Peñico’s proximity to Caral—considered the Americas' oldest civilization and established around 3,000 BC in the Supe Valley—provides crucial context. Caral features 32 significant monuments, such as large pyramids, urban centers, and advanced agricultural systems, believed to have developed independently from other ancient civilizations in regions like Egypt, Sumeria, and China.

Dr. Ruth Shady, the leading archaeologist behind the Peñico research and the original excavation of Caral in the 1990s, underscored the importance of this discovery for understanding the fate of the Caral civilization after it faced devastation due to climate change. She noted that the Peñico community was strategically located for trade and exchange among coastal, highland, and jungle societies.

At the recent news conference, archaeologist Marco Machacuay from the Ministry of Culture highlighted Peñico’s significance as an evolution of the Caral society. This discovery adds to Peru's rich archaeological narrative, which includes renowned sites like the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu and the enigmatic Nazca Lines.