Mural from 3,800 years ago unveiled by Peru archaeologists

[Judi Lynn]

20 August 2019



EPA
A mural thought to be 3,800 years old has been revealed by archaeologists in Peru.


The wall, unveiled on Monday, was found inside a public ceremonial building at the Vichama site, north of Lima.

The complex carved scene depicts iconography including a human-like toad and representations of people.

Dr Ruth Shady Solís, director of the Caral Archaeological Zone (ZAC), believes the scene represents the "arrival of water" through rainfall.

She says that in Andean civilisation, toads represented water and says the face below it represents humans waiting for rainfall to give continuity of life.

More:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-49407795

[jimlup]

1. Wow!

How cool is that!

[James48]

2. Right.

And how, exactly, were they able to date this to 3,800 years ago, and not, say, 1,000 years ago? Or 700 years ago?

[Nitram]

3. Archaeologist have a number of ways to measure the age of a site, including carbon 14,

stratigraphy, pottery and tool styles, and even tree rings. The article mentions that dating indicates the size was abandoned by 1800 BC.