Get the latest tech news

Temple and theater 3,500 years older than Machu Picchu discovered in Peru

Archaeologists in Peru have unearthed the remains of what they believe are a 4,000-year-old temple and theater, shining a new light on the origins of complex religions in the region.

Last year, the local government alerted them to looting that had been taking place near the northern Peruvian town of Zaña, according to a press release from the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois, Wednesday. After digging deeper, archaeologists found “one section” of a large temple, Muro Ynoñán said, adding that “one of the most exciting” finds was a small theater “with a backstage area and a staircase that led to a stage-like platform.” The finds predate the country’s best-known archaeological site, the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu, which is believed to have been built by the Inca Empire in the 15th century, by about 3,500 years.

Get the Android app