Jaén — Huaca La Ventilla / Huaca del Inca Pyramid
Jaén Huaca · Huaca La Ventilla Jaén · Jaén Pyramid
Initial to Early Formative (Bagua-Jaén, Bracamoros)·Bagua-Jaén / Bracamoros culture (Marañón)·🇵🇪 Cajamarca, Jaén Province, Huaca Montegrande periphery, La Ventilla, Peru
About
About Jaén — Huaca La Ventilla / Huaca del Inca Pyramid
Cluster of Formative to Bracamoros huacas around Montegrande in upper Marañón-Jaén valley — typified by Huaca La Ventilla (c. 1500–500 BCE, Late Initial/Formative Bagua Jaén phase) 15 m high adobe pyramid 40 × 40 m with heavy river cobble facing, adjacent to Montegrande but later Formative Bracamoros ceramic (Bishop) horizon. Shows density of temple-mounds in Marañón corridor demonstrating intensive early Amazon-Andean interaction preceding Cajamarca culture. Surveyed by Olivera, Burger, and Bagua expedition.
Why it mattersDocuments Marañón valley as Formative settlement density rivalling coast; Bagua ceramics define Amazon-Andean hybrid; buffer to Montegrande.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Relation to Montegrande — satellite or sequential
- 02Bracamoros identity — Amazon Jívaro precursor or highland
Theories
- 01Marañón as cultural corridor not frontier
- 02Mound density reflecting long-term reoccupation
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. 1500–500 BCE (Initial to Early Formative Bagua phase)
- Period
- Initial to Early Formative (Bagua-Jaén, Bracamoros)
- Culture
- Bagua-Jaén / Bracamoros culture (Marañón)
- Builders
- Jaén Bagua builders
- Purpose
- River-cobble faced pyramid mound for ridge-top ritual
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c. 1500–500 BCE (Initial to Early Formative Bagua phase)
Initial construction
c. 1000 CE
Abandonment
On the ground
Structures & features
5.7083° S · 78.8083° W · 500 m · 3 mapped features
Huaca La Ventilla pyramid
pyramid40×40 m 15 m cobble pyramid
5.7084° S · 78.8084° WCobble retaining wall
wallRiver cobble revetment south face
5.7082° S · 78.8082° WBagua ceramic scatter
scatterSurface Bagua sherd concentration
5.7085° S · 78.8085° W
Gallery