Chankillo — Second Thirteen Towers Sector
Chankillo Sector B Thirteen Towers
Early Horizon–Early Intermediate Casma Sechín 250–200 BCE·Casma/Sechín (Punkurí tradition)·🇵🇪 Ancash, Casma Province, Peru
About
About Chankillo — Second Thirteen Towers Sector
Second Thirteen Towers hill sector 400 m east of famous Chankillo solar observatory hill (250–200 BCE): duplicate 300 m tower line with observing building and radial lines, linked by 1 km bastions and fortified temple. Ivan Ghezzi discovered second sector proves Chankillo was not isolated but paired observatory for intercalation; UNESCO 2021 inscription includes both sectors. Demonstrates Casma/Sechín horizon state calendar with lunar complementary.
Why it mattersOnly dual solar observatory in Americas; validates horizon calendar at 1-day accuracy.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Why duplicate towers 400 m apart — leap year?
- 02Bastion fort purpose — ritual vs defense
Theories
- 01Dual for solstice vs equinox specialist priests
- 02Fort protects calendar priests
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.250–200 BCE
- Period
- Early Horizon–Early Intermediate Casma Sechín 250–200 BCE
- Culture
- Casma/Sechín (Punkurí tradition)
- Builders
- Casma polity
- Purpose
- Paired solar observatory and fortified temple for calendrical intercalation
- Abandoned
- c.200 BCE
- Rediscovered
- 2002 Ghezzi identifies second line; UNESCO 2021
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
250 BCE
First tower line construction
2021
UNESCO 1624 inscription both sectors
On the ground
Structures & features
9.5572° S · 78.2358° W · 360 m · 2 mapped features
Second Towers Line
tower300 m north-south line of 13 adobe towers 2–6 m high
9.5570° S · 78.2360° WEastern Observing Building
observatory8 m circular observing structure with doorway align to towers
9.5575° S · 78.2355° W