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We work with leading experts, geologists, engineers, & the holders of oral traditions to investigate megalithic sites without bias. Participation in one of our tours feels like joining an informal research expedition with knowledgeable friends.

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About brien.

Brien Foerster was born in Rochester, Minnesota, U.S.A. but grew up on the west coast of Canada. At age 11, he became fascinated with the art of the Haida and other native people, and began carving totem poles, and other related art forms, learning from Native teachers. After completing an Honours Bachelor Of Science degree, Brien decided to take up carving and sculpture full time at the age of 25. This included the creation of 15 full size totem poles, dugout canoes, masks, bowls, boxes and other Native style works.

In 1995 he moved to Maui, Hawaii, and was hired as assistant project manager for the building of the 62 foot double hull sailing canoe ( ancestor of the modern day catamaran ) Mo’okiha O Pi’ilani ( Sacred Lizard That Pierces The Heavens. ) This project lasted 2 years. Over the course of the next decade he explored Polynesia, looking for the source of the Polynesian people.

Peru became his next major area of interest. The study of the Inca culture led to his writing his first book, A Brief History Of The Incas. As of October 2014 he has written a total of 15 books; all available in e-format and paperback form via his hiddenincatours.com website, as well as www.barnesandnoble.com and www.amazon.com. All of these books are about ancient mysteries.

He also writes articles for Graham Hancock: www.grahamhancock.com, and was associated with Lloyd Pye of the Starchild project, whose geneticist is analyzing the DNA of elongated human skulls of the Peruvian Paracas culture on his behalf.

He counts amongst his colleagues Stephen Mehler, author, archaeologist, ancient Egypt oral tradition specialist and expert on crystal skulls, Christopher Dunn, engineer and author of The Giza Power Plant, Dr. Robert Schoch, geologist and expert of ancient Egypt, Hugh Newman of Megalithomania, who he co-sponsors tours with, L.A. Marzulli, and many other well known “alternative” authors and researchers.

Brien has been on 9 episodes of Ancient Aliens, numerous radio shows, including Red Ice Creations, Coast To Coast Am, Jeff Rense, Project Camelot and a new US video series called Unsealed, as well as L.A. Marzulli’s The Watchers, episodes 6 and 8. In his quest for furthering his research and presentations, Brien also explored the option of hiring assistance for his academic work, investigating ghostwriter hausarbeit kosten to gauge the costs involved in obtaining professional help with writing Hausarbeiten. This step was seen as a means to enhance the quality of his submissions, ensuring that his findings were presented in the most scholarly and comprehensive manner.

He has become an authority on the megalithic works of South America and the perplexing ancient Elongated Headed people of the area, and divides his time between Paracas Peru, and Cusco.

His explorations are now expanding into Egypt, which he visits once a year with. Here, he along with Stephen Mehler and Patricia and Yousef Awyan are avidly continuing the work of Abd’El Hakim Awyan, who spent decades finding evidence of the existence of a highly technological culture that existed in Egypt thousands of years prior to the pharaohs.

Brien Foerster

Tour feedback.

Aloha everyone, Thank you for the trip of a lifetime! Enjoyed the sites, all of you, and the adventure. A hui hou….until we meet again. Mona Stevenson, Hawaii Megaliths, Gods & Giants Peru & Bolivia Tour

Thank you all for the fantastic time we had in Peru and Bolivia! Jelle K., Holland Megaliths, Gods & Giants Peru & Bolivia Tour

Thank you all for a great trip.. Everyone of you added a brilliant insight into this trip for me and I thank you kindly for that. I normally don’t have patience for humans but you all were beautiful in your own light. Once again I thank you for that. Seak K., USA Megaliths, Gods & Giants Peru & Bolivia Tour

Thank you Irene, Gustavo, Brien, Hugh, Jim, Antonio, Sr. Luis and son, our very skilled bus drivers and of course my fellow Megalithomaniac group. As Arny puts it best: I’ll be back! Aaron K., Holland Megaliths, Gods & Giants Peru & Bolivia Tour

We still can’t forget Peru and Bolivia, all the wonderful sites and moments of our great trip. In spite of all the hardships it will remain the most memorable journey of our lives. It was great to meet all of you, to hear your stories and live great moment together. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences with us. Today we would like to wish you all lovely Christmas an much happiness in the coming year. And of course more fantastic journeys to most mysterious places in the world Hanna and Roland V., Poland/Belgium Megaliths, Gods & Giants Peru & Bolivia Tour

Hal and I are still missing Peru and especially all the wonderful friends we made along the journey! We’re going to have pisco sours instead of egg nog this Christmas and we’ll drink a toast to all Megalithomaniacs everywhere. Warmest wishes for a joyous holiday season and looking ahead to more adventures in 2017! Hal and Ro W., USA Megaliths, Gods & Giants Peru & Bolivia Tour

Let me begin by offering a big thanks to Hugh, Brien, Andrew, Irene, & Gustavo for a very well-planned excursion, many amazing sites and sights, lovely accommodations and good company. I enjoyed all that I was able to experience. This was truly the trip of a lifetime for me. Julie M, USA Ancient Technology Peru & Bolivia Tour

Thanks to Hugh, Brien, Irene, Gustavo and Andrew for making this a very enjoyable and fascinating tour Lasse C, Sweden Ancient Technology Peru & Bolivia Tour

What a phenomenal adventure! I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed the trip, the fascinating people I met along the way and of course the country. Meticulous attention to detail in the planning of each days itinerary and accommodation and of course the local wisdom of Gustavo to top it off. The ability to share in some “off the beaten track” sites was the cherry on the top. A HUGE thank you to Brien, Hugh, Andrew and Gustavo as well as Irene of course for making it such a memorable trip. For anyone considering this tour – stop considering and just do it!! Kurt B, USA Ancient Technology Peru & Bolivia Tour

Just to say a big thank you for the trip, such fun and full of giggles. From years of reading about and seeing pictures of so many of the sites visited on this trip, to finally feeling the incredible energies that surround them, was for me personally an amazing experience. So thank you all for putting together such a memorable tour. Great menu, interesting and fun crowd of fellow travelers. Good places to stay. Great stuff! Lyn T., England Portals of Ancient Peru & Bolivia Tour

I want to once again thank Brien, Hugh, Irene, and Gustavo for this great tour. It definitely exceeded my expectations. You get to see many sites that would otherwise be more difficult to get to on other tours or by yourself. The accommodations were excellent and everyone was very friendly. if you like interesting information, exploring ancient sites, and good company this is the tour to go on! Garrett Leo, USA Portals of Ancient Peru & Bolivia Tour

For us the tour was an amazing opportunity and a privilege to explore the earth energies at an incredible number of megalithic sites. We learnt so much and feel truly grateful for what was revealed to us, and to all the organisers, especially Hugh & Brien, for putting together such a memorable and stimulating tour. It was also a joy to be in the company of so many like minded people with a deep curiosity about the ancient ancestors Chris & Marilyn G., New Zealand Peru, Nazca & Bolivia Tour feat. David Hatcher Childress

Your tour exceeded our expectations in nearly every way. We saw, learned and experienced more than we ever would have on any other kind of tour. In addition, we traveled and made new friendships with people from all over the world. This trip is definitely one of the highlights of our life travels! For this we would like to thank you, Hugh, Irene, Cameron and Glen and David and Jennifer from the bottom of our hearts! Ed & Teresa C., USA Peru, Nazca & Bolivia Tour feat. David Hatcher Childress

So once more I want to thank you – Brien, David, Hugh, Irene, Cameroon, Glenn – and also all the participants, for the most special journey i’ve ever had! Hope to have more of those with you and will recommend to the people who are interested Vicki M., Israel Peru, Nazca & Bolivia Tour feat. David Hatcher Childress

I loved the tour! Many thanks to all organisers, especially Irene! I hope you are enjoying a break from questions and demands. Was great to meet you all and being in cusco without you all is not the same. I hope the tour has deepened your interest in the ancient mysteries like it did for me. Alex J., UK Peru, Nazca & Bolivia Tour feat. David Hatcher Childress

I thought the trip was excellent. I learned so much and from so many people on this trip. Thanks to everyone for making it great. Suzan M., Canada Peru, Nazca & Bolivia Tour feat. David Hatcher Childress

I can safely say that this was one of, if not the best, experience of my life. Thanks Brien, Dave, Hugh, Glenn & Cameron and of course Irene for an amazing adventure. You have my tick of approval ;). Tony G., Australia Peru, Nazca & Bolivia Tour feat. David Hatcher Childress

It felt less like a tour group and more like I had flown in to visit friends who were showing me around their turf, and for me, that was fine. I still feel I got more out of this tour than I would have with any other group. I enjoyed myself to the utmost, and was pleasantly surprised by almost everything – especially the kind people with whom I had the privilege of sharing this time. Sandy U., USA Peru, Nazca & Bolivia Tour feat. David Hatcher Childress

Still reminiscing about the trip. It was such a wonderful experience made even better by such a great group of people. And thank you all for the amazing photographs. Janine M., USA Peru & Easter Island Tour feat. Robert Schoch

Great crew, awesome time! Looking forward to sharing some video and photos!!! G. M., USA Peru & Easter Island Tour feat. Robert Schoch

What an amazing adventure we’ve had over the last 10 days! Peru is a beautiful diverse country filled with so many incredible sights and mysteries! We have been on a non-stop ride, and this journey we will never forget. Jenny G., USA Peru & Easter Island Tour feat. Robert Schoch

It certainly has been the most memorable experience of my life and your commentary, which I wish I could have been close enough to here more of, was exemplary as usual. Having a good group of people to travel with made the experience all the better. Thank you again for putting this adventure together.

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Essential Sites to See on an Archaeology Tour of Peru

When you think of archaeological sites in Peru, Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail will likely come to mind first. And that’s understandable given their iconic status. But as one of the six cradles of civilization, Peru is practically overflowing with fascinating relics and ruins from ancient cultures.

At Far Horizons, we’re here to help you explore Peru’s captivating past with carefully curated archaeology tours.

As part of our tours of the Americas range, our expeditions to Peru are created by visionary staff and led by renowned scholars. Our tours are as educational as they are adventurous, and the small groups create great camaraderie.

Whether you’re touring Peru or partaking in any of our other worldwide tours , we ensure you come away with a more in-depth understanding of enchanting cultures, past and present.

Are you ready to feed your wanderlust? Get in touch with our team for more information about any of our tours.

For now, though, let’s focus on some of the best sites to see on an archaeology tour of Peru.

Feel the Mystery of the Enigmatic Nazca Lines

The more you hear about the Nazca Lines, the more incredible they become.

The Nazca people etched these vast geoglyphs into the subsoil of Pampa de San José. Most estimates date them back to between 1 and 700 AD.

In total, the Nazca Lines are composed of more than 10,000 lines and cover an area of almost 1,000 sq. kilometers. Some individual lines measure 30 meters in width and run for over 9km.

There are approximately 300 different figures, including plants and animals. While some of the depictions are visible from surrounding hilltops, the best way to view the Nazca Lines is from the air.

It’s not entirely clear why the Nazca people made these etchings , but most research suggests they were central to prayers for rain and deity worship.

Hike Up to Majestic Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is synonymous with Peru and the ancient Inca culture. Set high up in the Andes, Machu Picchu was constructed in the 15th century but only appears to have been used for around 80 years. It was quickly abandoned due to the Spanish conquests elsewhere in the Incan empire.

And it lay lost until July 24th, 1911, when Hiram Bingham III, a history lecturer at Yale University, encountered it while climbing a mountain ridge.

Today, the site is primarily known for its jaw-dropping panoramic views. These mark a popular high point for many Far Horizons archaeology tours in Peru.

However, from an archaeological perspective, the sophisticated dry walling is just as impressive. This construction method fused huge blocks of stone without mortar joining them.

While Machu Picchu was a mountain-based citadel, its exact use remains a mystery. The buildings are laid out with astronomical alignments in mind, underlining the central importance of solstices, equinoxes, and other astronomical phenomena to the Andean culture.

Discover Kuélap, the Machu Picchu of Northern Peru!

Comparing Kuélap to Machu Picchu feels somewhat inevitable. But that’s not to downplay its significance and impressiveness. After all, it’s one of the largest ancient monuments in the Americas.

Both Kuélap and Machu Picchu are perfect examples of how Andean cultures favored impenetrable, high-altitude locations for their cities. This is exactly the approach the Chachapoya took when choosing a leveled mountaintop for the site of Kuélap.

The Incas added buildings after conquering the Chachapoya, so the construction of this fortified city took place between 400 AD and 1493. The process involved heaving gigantic limestone slabs to the top of the mountain.

They were then used to build 20m-high perimeter walls and around 500 circular buildings. This citadel contained civic, religious, and military structures, as well as homes for the inhabitants.

In 2017, a cable car was installed, making Kuélap far easier to access. 

Visit Caral, the Oldest Known City in the Americas

Caral, or the Sacred City of Caral-Supe, is considered the oldest city in the Americas. It’s also one of the oldest on record in the world.

As far as the American continent is concerned, no other site has uncovered such different administrative and ceremonial functions or a diverse range of monumental buildings as early as Caral.

The six pyramids here date back over 5,000 years. Caral is so well preserved, and so important in terms of its findings, that UNESCO declared it a Humanity Cultural Heritage Site .

Chan Chan is the World’s Largest Mud-Brick City

A stone’s throw from the Pacific Ocean, Chan Chan is the world’s largest Pre-Columbian adobe city discovered to date. This makes it a must-see site for any archaeology tour in Peru.

The Chimú culture constructed the labyrinthine corridors found here in 850 AD. At its peak, Chan Chan was home to approximately 60,000 people.

Located in the modern city of Trujillo, Chan Chan is another of Peru’s UNESCO-listed treasures. This vast city’s remains reflect a layout along social and political lines. The Chimú divided the site into nine independent units known as palaces or citadels.

Marvel at the Bulk and Beauty of Huaca de la Luna and Huaca del Sol

Located near Trujillo, visitors can combine a trip to Chan Chan with the Huaca de la Luna and the neighboring Huaca del Sol.

These two imposing, mud-brick structures faced one another across the narrow streets, great avenues, and dwellings that made up the urban center of the Moche culture. 

Today, visitors can only enter the Huaca de la Luna. Inside, well-preserved, polychrome friezes depict the story of the god Ai-apaec.

The Huaca de la Luna also reveals an uncomfortable truth about the Moche culture: this was a society that involved ritual human sacrifice.

One look around the arid, scorched sand in the vicinity helps to explain why: a lack of water.

Learn More About Peru’s Ancient Past with Scholar-Led Tours

We hope this blog has piqued your interest in the endlessly fascinating world of Peru’s archaeological sites. You can rest assured that the above list barely scratches the surface of everything to see here!

From hiking trips along the Inca Trail to tours of archaeology sites in Peru belonging to the Incas and their ancestors, Far Horizons goes to great lengths to ensure you see and learn as much as possible in this amazing country.

If you have any questions about our tours in Peru, please don’t hesitate to contact us .

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Chavin Ruins Tours

One of the earliest and best-known pre-Columbian sites, Chavín was home to a culture that thrived between 1500 and 300 BCE. Perched high in the Peruvian Andes, halfway between Lima and Chan Chan, Chavín was a place of worship and has a striking appearance. Complete with terraces, buildings, and plazas ornately decorated with extraordinary icons and symbols, this site was one that lured many pilgrims from the ancient world and consequently made itself an important spiritual and cultural junction.

Chavín de Huantar Ruins

The most important archaeological site in Chavin is the Chavín de Huántar. This was built approximately around 900 BC and has earned UNESCO World Heritage status. The temple has innovative irrigation and drainage systems and were technologically advanced in metal-works, acoustics, gold-working, agriculture, and more. Chavin art and architecture is displayed in the temples, pottery, and sacred texts such as cryptic stelas. There are also interesting obelisks and so many other artifacts that are well worth a visit for any history buff or anyone interested in Peruvian history.

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Archaeology in Peru

When you think of the many ruins in Peru, you probably think first of the monuments of the Inca. But the Inca were not an ancient people — they had established themselves as the dominant culture in Peru for less than a century when the Spanish arrived in 1532. Peru has many layers of human civilization, dating back 12,000 years. Experts and government officials guess that there are around 100,000 sites of archaeological significance in Peru. Around 10,000 of these sites have been excavated. There is still much to uncover.

Learning about Peru's history in text and images is only the beginning. Historical Tours of Peru and archaeological tours of Peru teach you about the past off of the page. One of the most informative and exciting vacations of your life awaits you in Peru, because the country is littered with ancient finds — almost everywhere ...

Even in the middle of Peru’s largest city, Lima , archaeologists still find important artifacts hidden in plain sight. In 2006, archaeologists discovered that a large mound called Huaca Huantille served as a burial mound for the Ichma people, who lived in Lima from 1000 A.D. to 1400 A.D. Homeless people had used the mound as a shelter for many years, probably unaware of the bones that lay inside the ruin. But an ancient temple between modern city buildings is nothing new for Lima. Huaca Huantille is about 30 minutes to the east of two of Lima’s most famous temples, Huaca Pucllana and Huaca Huallamarca . These earlier temples came out of the Lima civilization, which flourished from 100 A.D. to 600 A.D.

Archaeologists in Peru must race against a thriving community of grave robbers. For over 500 hundred years, struggling peasants have used their intimate knowledge of the landscape to look for graves and uncover veins of ancient gold. Grave robbers are called huaqueros, deriving from the world Quechua word for temple, huaca. To find a burial site, grave robbers will sometimes simply use a spear to stab the earth, looking for hollow ground. Once they find a tomb, the huaqueros grab the colorful jewelry and push the bones aside. Thankfully, some technological advances have proved useful in the effort to stop grave robbers. Drones have been recently deployed for surveillance, to keep track of which sites have attracted illegal digging.

Peruvian archaeological sites have more to fear than looters. In 2013, real estate developers tore down a pyramid known as El Paraíso, thought to be around 4,000 years old. August 2014 saw the similar destruction of a pyramid called El Bosque, in the La Republíca region of Peru. According to the Cultural Ministry, these developers made tenuous claims to the land in order to profit from Peru’s increased demand for affordable housing.

Looters can face a jail sentence of up to 8 years, but poverty is a powerful incentive to make off with the ancient treasures underfoot. As you stroll the streets of Peru, especially nearby an ancient ruin, be wary of merchants offering to sell you ancient artifacts. Chances are high that they aren’t real. Even if they are, it’s illegal to purchase artifacts and take them out of the country.

Peru is home to some of the oldest cities in the world. This list will give you a better idea of the huge variety of peoples that have called Peru home.

Ancient Peru

Sechín bajo 3500 bc.

Begin your exploration of Peruvian archaeology at the beginning. In 2008, archaeologists uncovered this 5,500-year-old city, near a complex of ruins called Cerro Sechín . This site is one of the world’s first known cities, marking an important milestone in human civilization.

Sechín Bajo is located in the Casma Valley , where other ancient developments, like Las Haldas , have given researchers insight into the type of landscape that allowed early Peruvians to flourish. Not much is known about the inhabitants of these cities, as the rubble of Sechín Bajo is all that remains of their civilization.

Visitor’s tip: Sechín Bajo may still be under heavy excavation when you arrive. If so, it’s only about a 5 minute drive to Sechín Alto, a u-shaped complex built around 1800 B.C. Nearby you’ll also find the Museo Max Uhle, a site devoted to the reconstructions of the gory murals found at Cerro Sechín.

Caral 3000 B.C. – 1800 B.C.

Located two hours north of Lima, Caral first came to the attention of archaeologists in 1996. Using carbon dating, scientists have estimated this site’s age at nearly 5,000 years old. Before the discovery of Sechín Bajo, Caral was thought to be the oldest city in South America.

Aside from its sheer age, visit Caral to see the crumbling pyramids and circular courtyards. These are architectural styles that were passed down and replicated over many generations of Peruvian history.

Visitor tip: You will need a guide to see the ruins, available for hire at the entrance to the site. These guides are often students, and typically inexpensive.

Chavín 1500 B.C. – 300 B.C.

Archaeologists believe the temple of Chavín de Huántar served as a pilgrimage site. It is best known for its many carved reliefs of feline deities. There are a wide variety of strange creatures depicted on the walls of the temple here, including animals with human faces.

One of the best-known artifacts from this site, the Tello Obelisk, is on display at the National Museum of Archaeology and History in Lima. It is named for Julio C. Tello, the Peruvian archaeologist who brought attention to this site in 1919, and went on to earn a reputation as the father of Peruvian archaeology.

Visitor tip: Check out the series of chambers under the ruin. Keep in mind that these can get crowded toward the afternoon.

Nasca 200 B.C. – 600 A.D.

You will often hear the Nasca (also spelled 'Nazca') people described as “mysterious” – a mysterious people who left behind the mysterious Nasca Lines , and went on to disappear, mysteriously.

Aliens from outer space are usually suspects in the Nasca’s disappearance. But a recent study of the Nasca Desert offers a more straightforward explanation. The Nasca people harvested the haurango tree, a tree with deep roots that help keep moisture in the soil. 1,500 years ago, when the Nasca population started to decline, the number of huarango trees in the area had been drastically reduced. Without these trees, the environment became too dry to support its human population. This archaeological discovery has been cited in recent discussions about modern environmental preservation.

Visitor’s tip: It is difficult to fully appreciate the Nasca Lines from the ground, and many tourists opt to see them on an airplane tour.

You can see the textiles and ceramics that the Nasca left behind in the nearby town of Nasca , at the Museo Antonini.

The pre-Columbian Era

Many civilizations settled on the northern coast of Peru because of the huge variety of seafood available. Here, the Humboldt Current collides with some of the warmer currents of the Pacific, making it a good habitat for a wide variety of fish. Peru’s northern cities of Trujillo , El Brujo , and Lambayeque are known for their archaeological splendor.

This era is usually called either the pre-Columbian or pre-Hispanic era, terms that broady describe the time before Europeans arrived.

Moche 100 B.C. – 850 A.D.

The Moche dominated a 2,500-square mile (6,475-square kilometer) territory in northern Peru, concentrated around the modern city of Trujillo. They lived in the desert, and built extensive aqueducts to irrigate their land. Ceramics and murals left behind have led historians to believe that the Moche engaged in elaborate ritualized sacrifice. Damage to temples, as well as recent research into desert weather patterns, suggests that the Moche endured a series of intense floods and droughts that led to their demise in the 9th century.

Huaca de Luna and Huaca del Sol are all located near the northern town of Trujillo. Trujillo is a popular destination based on its surfing beaches and colonial architecture. Take a closer look at its ancient past during your visit. Although not open to the public, visitors can admire Huaca del Sol from the outside. It is the largest adobe structure in the world. Huaca de la Luna has intricate murals that depict the Moche decapitator god, part of the reason archaeologists believe this temple may have served as the site of human sacrifice. Excavations have also uncovered the remains of 40 men buried within the temple.

Visitor’s tip: Trujillo is home to Museo Casinelli, with its notorious cache of erotic Moche ceramics, most of it purchased from grave robbers. You have to ask the museum staff to see the entirety of this X-rated collection.

Also visit Trujillo’s Museo de Arqueología, for a more in-depth look at the Moche ceramics discovered in the area.

In 2006, archaeologists discovered a 1,500-year-old Moche mummy in a tomb located at the top of a burial site called Huaca de Cao. This notable mummy was nicknamed the Lady of Cao . Archaeologists also found the skeleton of a young girl next to the mummy, sacrificed at the time of the burial. Archaeologists realized she was a sacrifice because of the cord found wrapped around her neck.

This tomb gave a lot of insight into the Moche burial practices. There was a face stitched into the textile bundle that covered the mummy’s head. Under the textiles, a gold bowl formed a dome over the Lady of Cao’s face. Tattoos of spiders and snakes covered her arms. Archaeologists can only guess the meanings behind these symbols.

Most distinctively, archaeologists found large, ceremonial copper clubs buried in her mummy bundle, as well as other instruments of war. She also had a V-shaped crown buried with her. Before the discovery of the Lady of Cao, these types of figures were thought to only belong with male mummies. Archaeologists had found priestesses buried nearby, but Lady Cao’s club and crown identify her as some kind of ruler. Her mummy is the first indication that women in Moche culture were able to achieve a high rank.

Visitor tip: To get to El Brujo, you must take a series of unmarked roads. Hire a guide or find a tour group to go with you to these complex ruins.

Ancient Peruvian temples and burial sites have a beauty all their own, but the Museo de Tumbes Reales in Lambayeque gives visitors a look at what the ancient world really looked like. Museo de Tumbes Reales is an elaborate reconstruction of what a Moche pyramid would have looked like during its heyday. It is painted bright red, and contains a huge collection of artifacts discovered in the tomb of the Lord of Sipán.

Museo de Tumbes Reales had a dramatic beginning in 1987, when police raided the residence of a prolific grave robber. Walter Alva, an archaeologist and Moche expert, helped begin excavation of the site where looters had discovered the abundance of artifacts. The site is called Huaca Rajada , which translates to “Cracked Temple” in English. Luckily, the grave robbers had not yet reached the tomb of the nobleman eventually known as The Lord of Sipán. Their tunnels stopped just 3 feet shy of the tomb. Material from the tomb eventually became the main attraction at the Museo de Tumbes Reales.

Visitor tip: Walter Alva helped oversee the collection at another nearby museum, Museo Bruning. Visit if you haven’t yet had your fill of Moche ceramics.

Wari 600 A.D. - 1100 A.D.

The Wari became prominent once the Moche fell into decline. Their grew around the modern town of Ayacucho, in the southern Andes. They were able to extend their empire through extensive construction of roads, eventually reaching the northern territory of the Moche. Much like the Moche, archaeologists believe a series of climate disasters and in-fighting led to the Wari's downfall.

Ancash – Near Lima

In 2013 archaeologists discovered a Wari burial at a site called El Castillo de Huarmey, just outside of Lima. Archaeologists had to keep their dig secret, to protect the tomb from robbers. Inside, they discovered mostly women, some of whom they believe to be queens. These women were buried sitting upright, wrapped in textiles. Six bodies found on top of the shrouded figures are believed to be sacrifices, thrown into the tomb before it was sealed. There were 63 bodies in total, which went undisturbed for 1,200 years.

El Castillo de Huarmey contained a large variety of valuables, including golden weaving instruments. There was a room outside of the burial chamber that historians believe may have been used as a spot to venerate the dead queens. Insect material found in their shrouds indicates that the mummies were taken outside after their initial burial, perhaps as part of an ancestral worship ritual. The Inca were known to have had the same kinds of rituals, many hundreds of years later.

Visitor tip: This is an interesting site, but the mummies and precious artifacts from the tomb have been moved to different museums across the country.

Sicán 750 AD – 1375 AD

Sicán civilization spread over the modern Peruvian region of Lambayeque. The Sicán continued the metallurgical practices developed by the Moche, their cultural forerunners. In the 14th century they were conquered by the Chimú people.

There are two main sites that the Sicán people left behind, outside modern-day Chiclayo . Batán Grande was first discovered in 1991 by archaeologist Izumi Shamada, and contains the remains of 36 temples. Túcume probably became the capital of the Sicán culture when the Sicán abandoned Batán Grande after a period of major flooding.

At Túcume, archaeologists have excavated the enormous temple of Huaca Larga, a dig initially led in the 1980s by Thor Heyerdahl. Heyerdahl began his excavation with the help of Walter Ava, who at the same time was uncovering the tombs at Sipán.

Sicán people buried their important dead with giant gold headdresses, evidence of their advanced metallurgical abilities. Similarly to the Wari burial sites, the dead found here were buried sitting upright, with their legs crossed.

Visitor’s tip: Both of these sites’ temples have eroded, and the remains probably don’t do the original structures justice. Visit Museo Sicán to see reconstructions of the burials, and items excavated from tombs at Batán Grande.

Chachapoyas 900 A.D. – 1100 A.D.

Archaeologists have a lot of work left to do to interpret what the Chachapoyas left behind. The Chachapoyas are best known for the high walls they built in their fortress in the cloud forest of the Amazon. These walls contributed to their long resistance of the Inca, who eventually conquered them in the 15th century.

Utcubamba Valley, Amazonas

Kuélap is one of the least visited sites in Peru. This site served as a fortress for the Chachapoyas, and also served as their capital. There is a small, conical building on the site that archaeologists believed served as a miniature temple.

Visitor tip: It is difficult to find reliable directions to Kuélap, or any of the other Chachapoyas sites. We can help set you up with a guided tour so you can avoid getting lost.

Chimú 900 A.D. – 1470 A.D.

The Chimú continued the artistic traditions and language of the Moche people. They occupied the northern Andes of Peru, in much the same territory as the Moche. From the art they left behind, we know that they worshipped the moon, unlike the many sun-worshipping cults of pre-Columbian Peru. In the 15th century, they fell to the Inca.

Chan Chan , located just outside of Trujillo, served as the capital of the Chimú civilization. It once housed around 50,000 people. Visitors today can tour the nine royal compounds, including the royal burial sites.

Much of Chan Chan has eroded, due to a series of disasters. Spaniards took many of the artifacts and floods caused by El Niño destroyed much of the structure. Get an idea of the site’s original splendor at the Tschudi Complex, to see a restored area of Chan Chan. Visitors can walk through the ceremonial area and mausoleum, and you can still see some of the carvings on the walls.

Visitor’s tip: Be wary while walking through the maze of tunnels by yourself. Hire one of the affordable guides outside the entrance.

While you’re in Lima, visit the Museo Larco for an overview of pre-Hispanic culture. This museum has textiles, ceramics, and artifacts from the Moche, Wari, and Chimú cultures.

Inca 1200 – 1532

King Pachacutec is credited with beginning the Inca’s expansion from their capital city, Cusco . Eventually the Inca gained control of the entire coast of Peru, stretching from Ecuador to northern Chile, covering a total of approximately 300,000 square miles (482,803 square kilometers). When the Spanish arrived in 1532, infighting among the Inca had weakened their armies. Eventually a small group of Inca nobles retreated to the Andes. This holdout collapsed in 1572, after the Spanish captured and executed the last Inca emperor, Túpac Amaru.

Cusco Region

Machu Picchu , although well known and heavily researched, still holds many unanswered questions for archaeologists. Most recently, Inca experts have identified some of the structures in Machu Picchu as observatories. They deduced this based on the position of some of the windows, configured for an optimum view of the solstices.

Historian Hiram Bingham brought the world’s attention to Machu Picchu in 1911. Although other explorers had seen it, it was Bingham who mustered local workers to clear the plants that choked the site and obscured many of the buildings from view.

Throughout the Sacred Valley of the Inca , the epicenter of Inca civilization, archaeologists have found sprawling examples of Inca agricultural techniques. At sites like Wiñay Wayna, located just off the Inca Trail leading to Machu Picchu, long rows of agricultural terraces take up the sides of green hills. On these terraces, archaeologists are learning more about how the Inca sustained their population.

Some of the most revealing archaeological sites, like the Inca fort of Sacsayhuamán , cluster around the city of Cusco, the capital of the Inca Empire. In 2008, archaeologists discovered the remains of a temple outside of Sacsayhuamán that show traces of both Inca and pre-Inca civilizations.

Visitor tip: The Inca Trail is an amazing, scenic way to arrive at Machu Picchu. But if you’re not up for the hike, the Machu Picchu Train or Inca Rail offer a comfortable ride through the mountains to the site.

Archaeologists don’t always have to dig for their finds. At the Ampato peak in the Andes, in southern Peru, archaeologist Johann Reinhard stumbled upon the mummy of a sacrificed girl, in repose on the side of the mountain. She was killed when she was between 12 and 14, approximately 500 years ago. He discovered her in 1996, soon after the nearby Sabancaya volcano had erupted. This eruption melted the surrounding snow and ice, revealing the tiny bundle of mummified remains. She was nicknamed “Juanita.”

Juanita wore elaborate, high-quality textiles. The textiles and the ceramics found nearby give historians reason to believe she came from Cusco. The conditions on the mountain allowed her body to be freeze-dried, preserving her skin, DNA, and internal organs.

After discovering Juanita, an expedition returned to Ampato to uncover two more sacrificial burials of children. They were buried with figurines of llamas and water vessels, suggesting that the sacrifices would help the Inca ensure agricultural success. Many more expeditions later, a total of 13 mummies have been discovered on Mount Ampato.

Visitor’s tip: You can see Juanita on display in Arequipa , at Museo Santuarios Andinos.

What’s Left to Uncover

In Peru’s busiest cities – Lima , Cusco , and Arequipa – archaeologists are still uncovering the handiwork of long-gone people. For at least 12,000 years, humans in Peru have been building civilizations, dying out, and starting over. Exploring these sites and museums will reveal some of what Peru has to tell us about our beginnings.

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1. Caral, The Oldest Civilization of America: Full-Day Tour from Lima

2. Nazca Lines Adventure: A Journey from Lima

3. Pachacamac Pyramids, Lima City Tour & Magic Water Show (Full Day)

4. Nazca Lines Full Day Trip from Lima

5. Caral, The Oldest Civilization: A Full-Day Expedition from Lima

6. Pachacamac from Callao Port

7. Temple of Pachacamac Half-Day Tour from Lima

8. Tour to the Archaeological Sanctuary of Pachacamac (small group)

9. Lima City Tour with Pisco Sour Demonstration and Tasting (small group)

10. Experience Lima: Gastronomic Evening at Larco Museum with Private Guided Tour

11. Lima to Caral Private Experience

12. 7-Day New Sunrise in Machu Picchu: Lima, Cusco & Sacred Valley.

13. All Inclusive Private Excursion to Caral from Lima

14. Lima Full-Day Experience: Pachacamac, Historic Downtown and Magic Water Circuit

15. 4 Hours Larco Museum and Huaca Pucllana in Lima City

16. Half-Day Private Tour to Huaca Pucllana and Huaca Mateo Salado

17. Tour to the archaeological sanctuary of Pachacamac + Lunch Show

18. Half-day Pachacamac Temple Tour from Lima

19. Lima City Tour with Pisco Sour Demonstration and Tasting (small group)

20. Full day in Caral, the oldest city in America

21. The Larco Museum Complete Tour with Tranfers included

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23. Private Tour: Pachacamac Archaeological Site Including Barranco District

24. 6-Day Peru, Connect your Energies: Lima, Cusco & Machu Picchu

25. Full-Day Private Caral Trip from Lima

26. 8 Day Peru Ancestral Energies: Lima, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu & Titikaka Lake

27. 8-Hour Private Tour Lima Viceroyalty and Gold Museum with Lunch

28. Pachacamac Archaeological Complex and Barranco

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30. Full day Huacachina - Nazca lines

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21 Best Ancient Ruins to Visit in Peru

Peru boasts some of the most impressive archaeological sites in South America rivaled only by the Mayan and Aztec sites in Mexico and the rest of Central America. Aside from Machu Picchu, Peru’s number of ancient ruins grows as new archaeological sites open to the public. In this list, you’ll find some of the best and most recently discovered historical sites in Peru, including some of the world’s most preserved ruins. From the early Aymara, Chachapoyas and Chimú cultures to the last of the Inca Empire strongholds, these 21 famous, and also lesser-known archaeological sites will awe and inspire.

Table of Contents

Ollantaytambo

Sacsayhuaman.

• Coricancha (Qorikancha)

Maras Salt Mines

Tambomachay.

• Machu Picchu

Nazca Lines

Huaca pucllana, huaca del sol y de la luna, the sacred city of caral-supe, floating islands of the uros, chucuito inca uyo.

• Isla Del Sol

Sarcófagos de Karajía

Across the Sacred Valley rests Ollantaytambo, the last of the Inca Strongholds. Image from Shutterstock

Located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, Ollantaytambo contains some of the most impressive functioning series of aqueducts and fountains out of all the Incan ruins in Peru. The magical Fountain de la Ñusta, or Princess Fountain, is one of the most impressive. The portal-shaped fountain carved out of a single stone sits perfectly preserved. At the top of Ollantaytambo lies the Incan Temple of the Sun. This megalithic structure contains enormous stones brought from an ancient quarry 6 kilometers away.

The stones in this site are also known for their incredible geometry and smoothness. However, the construction of this ancient site is unfinished.  Hundreds of partially carved and unfinished stones lie at the base of the hillside and temples. This Incan ruin is also known as the last stronghold of the Inca Empire since it is where Spaniards lost a battle to the Incas in 1537. This archaeological site can be reached by bus, taxi or train from Cusco and is on the way to Machu Picchu.

High on a ridge along the Sacred Valley the ancient site of Pisac sits well preserved with its many ancient grain towers. Photo by Latin America for Less

Along the Urubamba River, 33 kilometers from Cusco lies Pisac, an ancient site that contains an Intihuatana or sundial, and Temple of the Sun. The most distinctive feature of the Pisac ruins is the enormous semicircle of verdant terraces between two archaeological complexes. Both ends of the terraces at Pisac have beautifully preserved ancient Incan towers and stunning mountain views. These towers are were ancient granaries where food used to be stored for the Incan city at the base of the terraces called Inti Watana, Calca and Pisaqa (The Old Town).

Below the ruins in the colonial town of Pisac, there is also a lively artisans market that sells a variety of handmade goods including traditional textiles, alpaca products, jewelry, musical instruments, and many other beautiful accessories.

Right above Cusco city approximately 30 minutes from the Plaza de Armas is one of the more famous ruins in Peru, Sacsayhuaman. This is a must-see archaeological complex with enormous stones and one of the largest total areas due to the extensive amount of zigzagging Inca walls. Archaeological experts estimate that its construction took more than 90 years to complete beginning near 1350. Sacsayhuaman is assumed to be an ancient military fortress used to protect the Incan capital below.

The archaeological site also contains some of the most megalithic structures and tallest terraces out of all the ancient cities in South America. Some of the huge stones at this archaeological site measure taller than 9 meters and weigh over 100 tons. The famous site is also used every year on the 24th of June to celebrate the Sun God at a festival called Inti Raymi. On this day locals dress in traditional Inca clothes and dance to honor the god Inti.

Cusco Tours:

Coricancha-(Qorikancha)

Cusco used to be the Incan capital before Spaniards conquered the city changing the architectural landscape forever. Fortunately, at Coricancha you can find an incredibly preserved ancient Incan Sun Temple . Underneath the Spanish church of Santa Domingo in the middle of the city, there are five Inca Temples where the Incas worshiped the sun, moon, sunbeam, rainbow, and stars. Unfortunately, Spaniards destroyed some of these temples to build the church and convent.

Today the temples that remain exhibit exceptionally precise geometry and architecture. Inside the archaeological site, there is also a world-class museum that exhibits various impressive artifacts such as pre-Incan objects, ceramics, and colonial pieces as well. The surrounding area contains five beautiful Incan fountains at the base of the archaeological site as well. Walking near and around the surrounding streets of Coricancha, it is also visible that a majority of building foundations used Incan architecture, emphasizing the architectural mastery of the Incas.

The Maras Salt Mines are an ancient site that archeologists have dated being used back when the Incas were in power. Photo by Michael Wieck, Latin America for Less

40 kilometers North of Cusco in a small valley you’ll find pink, white and grey encrusted ponds fed by a small mineral-rich stream. The thousands of salt ponds make up the Maras Salt Mines, an ancient site still mined today by Peruvian families. It is one of the few places in the world where pink salt is mined . The terraced salt ponds and archaeological evidence suggest that the ponds were used even in Pre-Incan times. At the entrance to the Mines, there are also various shops where you can buy freshly mined salt products ranging from cosmetic goods to artisanal chocolate.

Near Maras located just 50 kilometers from Cusco is Moray, a historical Inca site that is an ancient agricultural wonder . Each one of the circular terraces drops in altitude and creates a distinctive microclimate. Ancient Incan farmers experimented with different crops and yields using these different terraces. Moray is a perfect example of the Incan agricultural intelligence and expertise. Each terrace drops 1.90 meters dropping the altitude as low as 45 meters. The lower terraces exhibit higher temperatures and less wind which the Incas used to experiment with different crops. Experts say the site was also an agricultural calendar that determined the best time of year to plant certain crops.

On a verdant hillside you’ll find Tambomachay. These ancient Inca baths were used by Inca royals and the military. Photo by Latin America for Less

There is no better example of the Incas hydraulic expertise than Tambomachay. Believed to be a temple or sacred site to worship water, these ruins near Cusco contain numerous fountains, canals and baths. The archaeological site is also known as El Baño del Inca or the Inca Baths. The ruins are located only 7 kilometers away from Cusco and are near the ancient Pika Pukara Archaeological complex, an Incan military outpost that functioned as part of the defense of Cusco.

The picturesque town of Chinchero looks like it came right out of a painting. This beautiful town is located only 28 kilometers from Cusco and is another perfect example of how Spanish architecture was constructed atop Incan ruins. This quaint little town used to be the location of an ancient Incan palace and an important urban center for the Incas. The surrounding area has hundreds of terraces, open fields and ancient staircases that make the perfect backdrops for the contrasting white Spanish buildings. In the town’s plaza there are also a number of places where artisans sell textiles and other handcrafted goods.

High above the town of Aguas Calientes in the heart of the jungle rests the Lost Inca City Machu Picchu. This incredible feat of ancient engineering sits at the crest of the mountain offering stunning views of the landscape below. The surrounding mountains appear to be suspended above the clouds and on clear days the Urubamba river is visible below. If you look closely at the other hillsides you might spot the remnants of other Incan terraces. Known as one of the 7 World Wonders, Machu Picchu is undoubtedly the most famous of all the ruins in Peru.

On the desert sand south of Lima near Ica you’ll find the Ancient Nazca Lines. Photo by Latin America for Less

South of Lima embedded in the desert crust are hundreds of ancient line drawings from the Pre-Columbian Nazca culture that once occupied the area. The purpose of the Nazca Lines is still a mystery today with some of the drawings still being discovered.  A majority of these geoglyphs are only viewable by air or nearby observation decks.

The geoglyphs occupy an area of nearly 1000 square kilometers and there are nearly 300 different drawings that include plants and animals such as hummingbirds, cats, monkeys and spiders to name a few. These megalithic drawings are so large that some are even visible from space. Although this is not necessarily considered a ruin per se, the Nazca Lines are a must-see ancient Peruvian archaeological site.

Lima Tours:

Right on the perimeter of Lima’s more metropolitan districts, South of the city center is Pachacamac. The archaeological site is estimated to be over 1000 years old and was occupied by a number of different ancient cultures. The cultures that used Pachacamac ranged from the Wari Culture to the last of the Incas. The earliest structures date back to 200 A.D from the Lima Culture who founded the site as an important religious center and coastal hub.

The site also contains several ancient temples and some of the best-preserved ancient mud-brick architecture in the world. The most famous ancient temple at the site is the Sun Temple which boasts ocean views and a panoramic vista of the archaeological site. The ruins also include one of the best museums in Lima. Inside there are exhibits detailing the arrival and construction of the site by the Lima Culture to the arrival of the Spaniards in the 16th Century.

In the center of Lima in the Miraflores district is the archaeological site of Huaca Pucllana. The mud-brick pyramid is still being unearthed by archaeologists today. The tall pyramid-like structure completely breaks the context of Lima’s metropolitan skyline. It lies right in the middle of a number of modern office buildings and apartment complexes. Guided tours are available where tourists can walk around and on top of the ancient ruins. A small museum at the entrance also explains the history of the cultures that once occupied Lima. At the exit of the Archaeological site there is also the exquisite Huaca Pucllana restaurant, which serves traditional Peruvian Criollo food.

Northern Peru

The ruins of Chan Chan are the largest ancient mud brick city in the world. Visible in the walls are dozens of geometric relief drawings made by the Chimú civilization. Image from Shutterstock

Rather than a mountainous rugged archaeological site surrounded by jungle, Chan Chan is a historical ruin on the desert coast near the city Trujillo. The ancient city was built by the Chimú civilization and is known as the largest mud-brick city in the world. These Pre-Columbian ruins are endangered today due to persistent seasonal rains that wash away the delicate archaeological site. However, the majority of the city is still intact thanks to the ancient and innovative network of irrigation canals.

It is estimated that at its peak 60,000 inhabitants occupied Chan Chan before the Incas captured the city. The mud walls inside the ruins exhibit impressive relief art and near-perfect geometry. It is a poignant reminder that a number of ancient ruins in Peru are still in need of more attention and preservation.

Peru Tours:

Legend says that this ancient Peruvian ruin located near Chan Chan and Trujillo was built by 250 thousand men in three days. The pyramid was discovered in 1990 and is one of Peru’s most recent and well-researched archaeological sites. The Huaca del Sol is estimated to be the largest adobe structure in the Americas.

This impressive Moche Culture ruin is also where over 40 warriors were discovered by archaeologists. Dozens of adorned walls and hundreds of impressive ceramic vessels are continually unearthed today. Similar to Huaca Pucllana, the adobe structure is only partially excavated. However, in comparison, this historical site boasts incredibly preserved painted walls with vibrant yellow, red and blue murals and relief art.

The Pyramids of Caral – The site of one of the first civilization in the Americas

This archaeological site is the oldest of the ancient cities in the Americas. The nearly 5000-year-old city is located 182 kilometers north of Lima and demonstrates some of the most complex urban planning for its age. The ancient landmark is also a fairly recent discovery since excavations commenced only 27 years ago. The ruins are distinct since a majority of the buildings were constructed using stone and wood instead of mud bricks. This architecture allows most of the structures to remain extremely well preserved.

The ruins include an impressive pyramid, tall platforms, and a circular court which flaunt the city’s sophisticated urban design. There are also several other excavations sites nearby that have unearthed four other ancient pyramids. The other pyramids mean Caral likely expands beyond the current protected archaeological site.

Atop the blue waters of Lake Titicaca sit the Floating Islands of the Uros. Photo by Latin America for Less

Right next to the city of Puno a short boat ride away from Lake Titicaca’s coast are the Floating Islands of the Uros . These islands made of totora reeds sit atop the lake’s waters and are the homes of the Uros people. Although not technically ruins, the Uros that occupy these artificial islands are direct descendants of the earliest inhabitants of Lake Titicaca. The Uros have continued the ancient practice of constructing these floating reed islands for hundreds of years. The number of islands is ever-changing since they separate or deteriorate over time. Fortunately, the inhabitants continually maintain or construct new islands to continue their long tradition of subsisting off the lake.

On the shores of Lake Umayo and only 40 minutes from Puno is the archaeological site Sillustani. The tall chimney-like structures of Sillustani are a product of the Aymara civilization. They built these in honor of the Qualla people that were conquered by the Incan Empire in the 15th century.

The structures are called ‘Chullpas’, and stand out amongst the rolling hills surrounding the lake. The tallest of these towers reaches a height of 12 meters with a majority remaining extremely well preserved. Experts suggest that nobility were also buried at these ruins, although unfortunately, nothing from these burials remains. At this ancient site there are also beautiful panoramic views of Lake Umayo and the altiplano landscape.

18 Kilometers to the south of Puno located within a small village is the Inca Uyo archaeological site. The temple is dedicated to fertility and is an entertaining pit-stop for tourists visiting nearby Sillustani. The mildly phallic-shaped structures here were used by the Incas to conduct ceremonies to raise the fertility of women. Surrounding the site there are various small well-preserved Inca ruins.

Lake Titicaca. Image: “ Lake Titicaca as seen from Isla del Sol ” by Jan Csernoch is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 .

Isla Del Sol (Island of the Sun)

In the middle of Lake Titicaca on the Bolivian side of the lake lies the Island of the Sun, the birthplace of the Inca bloodline. A number of private boats depart to and from the island daily with guided tours. There are a number of other ancient Incan ruins on the Island and it is considered one of the most sacred sites in Latin America.

The island offers stunning panoramic views of the lake and surrounding mountains. On clear days the blue waters and sky converge making for incredibly picturesque views. Some of the Pre-Incan and Incan structures that occupy the islands include the Chincana archaeological site, fountain of youth and a sacrificial Inca Altar. However, since there are no paved roads or transportation, the majority of these sites are only reachable by foot.

Near Amazonas

The circular houses of Kuelap. Image: “Kuelap Chachapoyas Remains of a house that would have held up to 8 people” by Andreas Kambanis , used under CC BY-SA 2.0 / Cropped and compressed from original

Near the city of Chachapoyas in the Northern Amazon region of Peru, a dense jungle encroaches the ruins of Kuelap. Sitting at the highest point of a mountain, the ancient city built by the Chachapoyas civilizations lies nearly untouched. This is thanks to a 20-meter high wall built by the Chachapoyas to protect the city. Luckily access to this ancient city is facilitated by cable cars that ferry visitors to and from the ruins.

For the more adventurous trekker, there is a path up to ruins. These nearly-hidden ancient jungle ruins are an archaeological marvel that many consider Machu Picchu’s rival. The site is one of the most incredible ruins in Peru due to the nearly perfectly preserved roundhouses and temples.

The Sarcophaguses of Karajía are one of the most enigmatic ancient burial sites in Peru. This unique archaeological site is the burial ground for 8 Chachapoyan civilization mummies that occupy a steep cliffside along a river gorge. Their nearly inaccessible location has helped preserve the sarcophagi from looters and natural events.

Surprisingly, these figures stand nearly 2.5 meters tall and have been dated by experts back to the 15th century. Archaeologists determined that this Pre-Incan site coincides with the conquest of the Chachapoyas by the Incas in the 1470s. Thus indicating that they might have perished during the Incan conquest.

Amazon Rainforest Tours:

Peru has the highest density of archaeological sites in all of South America. However, considering the number of ruins, those on this list barely scratch the surface of what is still being discovered by archaeologists today. Pre-Incan sites far outnumber the amount of Inca ruins conquered by the Spaniards in the 16th century. Visiting any of these Peruvian sites is guaranteed to spark curiosity related to Pre-Columbian societies and their marvelous civilizations.

Manuel was born in Iowa, raised in California and now lives in Lima, Peru. His Peruvian parents always kept him close to his roots with dozens of family vacations to see his grandparents in Lima. After graduating from University of California Santa Barbara, Manuel decided to move to Lima to be closer to the family, food and culture he loves.

Related posts:

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A northern journey to ancient treasures in Peru

Peru’s ancient treasures in the northern cities of Chiclayo and Trujillo rival those of any archaeological site in the Americas.

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Northern Peru Archaeological Tour

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The Northern Kingdoms of Peru

Discover the ancient moche civilization on this tour of northern peru for 4d/3n starting at $795 per person.

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Our 3-day tour of the northern coastal desert of Peru explores the lands of the Moche Civilization and Chimu Culture, pre-Inca contemporaries of the Nazca Civilization.  This short trip makes an excellent post-trip extension to any Peru itinerary. 

• Sites you will visit on this tour include:
• Chan Chan, capital of the Chimu Culture
• Huaca del Sol
• Huaca de la Luna
• El Dragon Ruins
• El Brujo Archaeological Complex
• Huaca Rajada or Sipan

For travelers interested in delving deeper into the northern civilizations of Peru, continue from Chiclayo to Chachapoyas. Our Chachapoyas Discovery trip visits sites such as Kuelap, Karajia and Revash.  

Lost World Adventures itineraries can be tailor-made according to your plans and preferences: budget, hotel selections, travel dates, optional excursions, length of trip, etc.

Day 1: Trujillo

You will be met at the Trujillo Airport and transferred to your hotel. Overnight Libertador Trujillo, daily breakfast included - 2 nights. 

The Libertador Trujillo Hotel is located on the main square of the city’s historic center. The hotel has 79 rooms, a large dining area and business center. Facilities and amenities include restaurant, bar, gym, sauna, swimming pool and Jacuzzi, wireless Internet access.

Lima - Trujillo airfare not included. 

Day 2: Huacas del Sol & de la Luna - Chan Chan - Huanchaco Bay

Full-day tour includes a visit to the Huaca del Sol and Huaca de la Luna, the Huaca Moche Museum; and Chan Chan, the pre-Columbian adobe citadel of the Chimu Empire, considered the largest of its kind, and the museum 'in situ'.

Then, a stop at Huanchaco Bay where local fishermen continue going out to sea in fragile straw skiffs or "Caballitos de Totora". You will also visit the El Dragon ruins. Afterward, return to your hotel.

Lunch is included.

Day 3: Trujillo - Chiclayo with El Brujo Archaeological Complex

You will be met at your hotel and transferred to Chiclayo. On the way, visit to El Brujo archaeological complex, which includes richly-colored murals on a Moche pyramid or Pacatnamú, an ancient fortified ceremonial and pilgrimage center, situated on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

The Pacatnamú excursion will include a visit to the San Jose de Moro Museum.

In Chiclayo you will be taken to the Casa Andina Select Chiclayo for an overnight stay. 

The Casa Andina Select Chiclayo (formerly the Gran Hotel Chiclayo) is an iconic modern structure in Chiclayo, the capital of the Lambayeque department, famous for its cuisine and highly developed ancient cultures.

Located in the heart of Chiclayo, Peru’s fourth-largest city and one of significant commercial importance, the hotel is just 5 minutes from the main square park and only 10 minutes from the airport.

Also within easy reach are the region’s superb museums, such as Tumbas Reales de Sipán, and spectacular archaeological sites including Túcume, the “valley of pyramids” — making it a great base for exploring the northern coastal desert, one of the most historic regions in Peru.

Day 4: Sipan & Tucume with Tumbas Reales Museum

At Huaca Rajada, tour the lavish 1,700-year-old tomb of the Lord of Sipan, acknowledged as the "discovery of the century" because of the vast quantity and high value of the gold and silver treasures uncovered there.

Excursion to Tucume, a vast Lambayeque-period archeological complex, known as the "Valley of the Pyramids" (1000-1500 A.D.). Tour of Tucume and in-situ museum.

Visit the Tumbas Reales Museum of Sipan (museum closed on Mondays).

This important museum is located in Lambayeque 7 miles north of Chiclayo. The tomb, found in 1987, was the richest ever found in the western hemisphere and by 1990 was the richest series of tombs found anywhere in the world for a century.

The 3-story pyramid tomb, like the museum, is an attraction in its own right.  This museum conserves all the archaeological material found in Sipan. The exhibition also shows a reconstruction of the Lord of Sipan tomb with his values jewels of gold, silver, copper and some additional tombs of warriors. This museum is the result of years of effort of an archaeology team led by Walter Alva.

Afterward, transfer to the Chiclayo Airport for your flight to Lima. Or, continue to Chachapoyas.

"Thanks for all your help with our trip!"

We had a wonderful time in Peru! All the guides that you set up were very helpful, on time and took good care of us.

- Julia S, July 2016

Julia S, July 2016

Interested in this trip, not sure where to begin get in touch now and one of our expert trip consultants will be happy to help..

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Snacks such as nuts, granola, or jerky go a long way, whether for the airplane journey or to share with guides or new friends.

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TOURS: Peru

August 23 - september 6.

From the golden tombs of the Moche on Peru’s coastal plain, to the splendor of Cuzco and the magic of Machu Picchu high in the Andes, our tour promises to be an unforgettable adventure. An expert in the region’s archaeology will join us.

An itinerary and information on how to register can be found  on the tour website.

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Moche Archaeological Tour: The Best 4 Day Northern Peru Itinerary

For nearly 500 years, they dominated Peru’s northern coast, before entering a 2½-century period of climate catastrophes and societal decline. Book now your Moche Archaeological Tour with Fertur!

Northern Peru Archaeology Journey

This four-day journey is designed to relate the world’s most dramatic story of climate change in the ancient world, as told through an archaeological retrospective of this magnificent, and ultimately self-destructive and doomed society.

The Moche were among the most accomplished ceramic workers in the world, meticulously documenting in highly realistic fired-clay artifacts their culture, population, religion, architecture and agriculture, their wars, ceremonies and burials, their medicine, arts and sexuality.

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For nearly 500 years, the Moche culture dominated more than 300 miles of Peru’s northern coast, extending inland from the Pacific Ocean to the high western slopes of the Andes.

A rigidly stratified society ruled by a caste of warrior-priests, the Moche used a complex system of irrigation canals to cultivate vast yields of sweet potatoes, corn, lima beans, peanuts, quinoa and squash.

Moche were among the most accomplished ceramic workers in the world, meticulously documenting in highly realistic fired-clay artifacts their culture, population, religion, architecture and agriculture, their wars, ceremonies and burials, their medicine, arts and sexuality.

The Moche also stood out  among ancient Peruvian societies for their practice of publicly celebrating ritual battle and a ceremony of blood sacrifice of the vanquished.

Blood was the main currency of Moche political and ideological belief. It was the highest symbol of regeneration and integration between the people and their gods.

The ritual sequence of the armed encounters were graphically narrated by Moche artists, who inscribed the powerful images upon ceramics and modeled clay, to instruct the masses and reveal to them the sacred codex of the warrior disciple.

The prevailing scientific theory now holds that the frightful scenes depicted in Moche art are faithful representations of actual behavior, and possibly even records of specific events.

Archaeologists believe the tombs of the Moche lords and high priests excavated in the last quarter century correspond directly to the religious characters depicted in their exquisite pottery and in the extensive mural reliefs on the walls of their temples.

Controlling a dozen fertile river valleys from about 100 C.E. (Common Era), Moche society maintained this religious ideology, but things began to fall apart around 600 C.E. when they were hit by a string of catastrophic climate events: El Niño-driven floods and gigantic mudslides followed by intense droughts.

The people lost faith in their rulers, and by 850 C.E., their civilization was gone, dead and buried, and eventually replaced by a new empire, the Chimú.

This four-day journey is designed to tell the world’s most dramatic story of climate change in the ancient world.

Chiclayo: Costa del Sol ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Trujillo: Libertador ⭐⭐⭐⭐

4 Days 3 Nights Tour in Chiclayo & Trujillo

Day 1 arrival in chiclayo.

Pickup and transfer from airport or bus station for transfer and checkin at your hotel (Costa del Sol).

DAY 2 Chiclayo – Sipan (Huaca Rajada) -Royal Tombs of Sipán Museum – Lunch – Túcume

Early morning pick-up from your hotel and start your full-day private excursion to the Huaca Rajada and its excellent site museum.

The mud-brick burial platform here was where archaeologist Walter Alva made his world famous 1987 discovery of the tomb of the Lord of Sipán, the first of several major finds at the site. Carbon-dating shows the Moche lord died around 290 C.E.

He was interred with his royal entourage, and several sacrifices, as well as a treasure trove of ceremonial regalia and priceless relics: pectoral shields made of shell, bone and stone, blankets adorned with ornate, gilded, copper platelets, necklaces of very fine metalwork, feather ornaments, headdresses and three sets of ear plugs inlaid with turquoise.

Also buried with him were ceremonial utensils such as tropical Spondylus and Conus sea shells, silver and gold rattles, knives, golden death-masks, and a copper scepter topped with a complex architectural model held in his right hand.

The tomb was widely considered the most important archaeological find in half a century and was compared to the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamen in Egypt.

Transfer to Lambayeque for a guided tour of the Royal Tombs of Sipán Museum, the ultra-modern, three-story exhibition dedicated exclusively to the stunning contents of the Lord of Sipán tomb, and the tombs of a dozen other individuals excavated at the site.

This innovative museum is designed as a dark red pyramid that visitors enter from the top. Descending through the galleries, you encounter the objects in the same sequence as the archeologists during their years of excavations.

Lunch at the award winning El Cántaro Restaurant, Lambayeque.

Then visit Túcume , which to the untrained eye might appear at first glance more like a group of highly eroded foothills than what they are, an unprecedented concentration of massive ancient pyramids.

The late Norwegian archaeologist and explorer Thor Heyerdahl, of “ Kontiki ” fame, put the site into perspective in 1990 when he remarked: “When I came across the forest of isolated carob trees that hides the view of the ruins, I thought I was dreaming. I had never seen anything like this. The largest complex of monumental structures of adobe in the New World; 26 large pyramids and many other smaller ones, contained in a sacred place that covers 500 acres.”

The Lambayeque culture, which flourished around 700 C.E., built more than 250 solid adobe pyramids, one of the highest concentrations of pyramid structures known in the world, located in a single valley.

Discoveries of the remnants of royal courts, kitchens and workshops atop the pyramids helped Heyerdahl’s colleagues — archaeologists Daniel Sandwiess and Eduardo Narvaéz — to conclude the elite of this mysterious society were the residents of palaces built high above the valley floor.

They, as the Moche before them, and the Inca hundreds of years later, believed that the great mountains were deities with the power to control nature. The archaeologists theorized that these ancient people — similar to the Moche — built the giant pyramids to emulate the magic power of the mountain Gods in a futile attempt to control nature and stave off prolonged periods of catastrophic climate change.

Most of the archaeological excavations at Túcume remain closed to the public. But recently on the southwestern edge of the pyramid valley, researchers have opened Huaca de las Balsas , an amazing excavated site that forms part of a small complex of truncated pyramids that carbon date to around 1100 C.E. Its dramatic mud relief murals reveal a Moche-inspired cosmovision of the inhabitants.

The excavated fireplaces, kitchen, food remnants and human and animal remains offer a glimpse into their domestic lifestyle.

Return to hotel in Chiclayo. (B/L)

DAY 3 Chiclayo – San Jose De Moro – Huaca Cao – Lunch – Trujillo City Tour

Setting out early for Trujillo, your first stop is at San José de Moro , an important excavation site where in 1991 archaeologists Christopher Donnan and Luis Jaime Castillo unearthed the “Sacerdotisa” — a high level Moche priestess.

Here you will have the chance to stretch your legs, use the rest room, and most importantly, meet master Moche artisan Julio Ibarrola and the local children who, in his workshop, learn the ancient techniques to create Moche ceramic art.

The program is supported by the Sustainable Preservation Initiative to help local communities earn money through ecotourism, and to keep the Moche artistic tradition alive.

The pieces are so realistic that if they were not embossed on the bottom with the children’s signatures, buyers of the ceramics would run the risk of having the pieces seized at the airport by wary officials on the lookout for smuggled black market antiquities.

Continuing your journey, the next stop is the archaeological complex “El Brujo” situated about five kilometers south of the Chicama River, above an elevated plain and adjacent to the Pacific Ocean.

The denomination “ El Brujo ” (or “The Witch Doctor”) is owed to the fact that for hundreds of years at this site, healing masters of the area congregated to perform “mesados,” or shamanic rituals.

The first thing you notice as you approach the complex is that the desert floor is pock-marked by thousands of holes, like a moonscape, left behind by “huaqueros” (tomb raiders).

Girded by bright green sugar cane fields, the archaeological complex is vast, encompassing a cultural sequence of 5,000 years: From Huaca Prieta (2500 B.C.E.), Cupisnique (1,000 B.C.E.), Salinar and Gallinazo (100 B.C.E.) Mochica (100-800 C.E.), Lambayeque (900-1,100 C.E.) Chimú (1,300 C.E.) and Colonial (1,570-1,750 C.E.).

Of these sites, the Huaca Cao Viejo , and its adjacent Cao Museum, is the centerpiece and main focus of your tour.

Recent excavations of what was once a huge pyramid temple revealed rooms and terraces decorated with exquisite, colorful wall art — typical Moche religious motifs of ritual sacrifices and supernatural deities.

In 2005, archaeologist Régulo Franco — led, he says, by a shamanic dream scape vision of a young female puma — discovered the intact tomb of the Lady Cao , a young woman adorned with the regalia of a high Moche religious and political leader.

Her arms were decorated with tattoos of snakes and spiders, indicating she was imbued by her people with mystical powers. This woman, who died around 300 C.E., shortly after giving birth, is believed to have been the first known female ruler of pre-Columbian Peru — a Cleopatra of South America.

Lunch restaurant overlooking the ocean front village of Huanchaco , where you can enjoy excellent Peruvian seafood and northern cuisine while you watch surfers and the local fishermen on their traditional “ Caballitos de Totora ” or reed boats, riding the waves.

Transfer to your hotel (Hotel El Libertador). (B/L)

DAY 4 Trujillo – Chan Chan – Lunch – Huaca de la Luna y del Sol – Visit with Moche Artisans

After a leisurely morning, you set out for a private city tour of Trujillo, including the main attractions of the Spanish colonial center, followed by a tour of the Arco Iris Temple of the Chimú Culture , and the archeological complex of Chan Chan, the world’s largest adobe mud brick city.

After lunch at a traditional restaurant in the city, you make the 20 minute drive to the ancient city of Moche and the Huaca de la Luna.

A few miles south of the modern city of Trujillo, the city of Moche. At its height, the city covered an area of about a quarter mile, separating two monumental structures: Huaca del Sol (Temple of the Sun) to the west and Huaca de la Luna ( Temple of the Moon ) to the east at the foot of Cerro Blanco, or “White Mountain,” considered a deity by the Moche people.

It was the pioneering work of German archaeologist Max Uhle in 1899 that initiated studies of the complex, one of Peru’s most important ancient sites. Studies resumed in 1991 and showed that the Moche city’s inhabitants transformed the desert into fertile farmlands by a complex and extensive irrigation system. The Moche also exploited the river, forest, lomas (fog meadows) and maritime habitat, to produce a surplus of food.

Huaca del Sol apparently served as a political and administrative center (excavations currently taking place to test that theory).

Huaca de la Luna, at the other end of the city, comprised the paramount temple and leading political and ceremonial center of Moche society.

What the Moche left behind in the Huaca de la Luna is remarkable: Extensive, painstaking excavation at Huaca de la Luna in recent years offers the most expansive view of Moche culture.

The archaeological evidence points to a desperate reaction of the Moche’s religious leadership to appease the Gods in the face of extreme climate change that devastated their world.

Huge mural reliefs and pottery show naked captives tied together with ropes around the neck; prisoners ritually beheaded, defleshed, and dismembered; female victims tied to stakes and left to birds that peck at their eyes and genitals.

Hundreds of dismembered victims were found encased in mud. The sacrifices correspond to a series of El Niño events that wiped out Moche irrigation and blanketed their farm lands, followed by prolonged, severe draughts starting in about 600 C.E.

Then visit the newly opened Museum of Moche Temples to view the best ceramics of the Moche culture, and to gain greater insight into the significance of the Temples of the Sun and the Moon.

To end your journey, you will visit two local artisan workshops. In one of them, you can participate in the production of handcrafted replicas of Moche ceramics.

These artisans have revived the ancient manufacturing techniques of the famous “Moche figurines” using the same style of clay molds utilized 1,400 years ago. In addition we will visit an expert leather crafter.

Transfer to the hotel and the airport. (B/L)

(B) Breakfast, (L) Lunch, (D) Dinner

The program includes:

• Entrance fees to places visited
• English-speaking guide
• Private transportation
• 02 nights accommodation + breakfast in Chiclayo in the Costa del Sol hotel
• 01 nights accommodations in Trujillo + breakfast in Hotel Libertador

Not Included:

• National or International flights
• Non-itinerary meals or drinks
• Tips or services not described in the itinerary
• Airfare and/or bus service Lima-Chiclayo / Trujillo-LimaBus Cruz Del Sur:   LIMA / CHICLAYO – TRUJILLO / LIMA  :  US$90.00Flight Lan Peru:     LIMA/  CHICLAYO – TRUJILLO/ LIMA   :  US$350.00(Fares subject to availability and change without prior notice)

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The Archaeology Channel Tours is a program set apart from others by our commitment to storytelling and expert guidance.  We believe that a tour should be far more than a photo-op or checking off a bucket list.  For us, a tour is an opportunity to perform our mission to tell the human story, in this case by bringing people to the real sites where history took place.  We like to embed the background in the tour process, so each destination represents an episode in the historic timeline and has a comfortable place in the temporal, cultural and environmental context.  We also like to design unique tours not offered by others.

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Megaliths of France

The largest collection of standing stones (or menhirs) in the world, in southern Brittany, the westernmost province of France, is the focus of this tour.  Mostly arranged in impressive rows or alignments, with some standing alone, these date to the Neolithic Period, 5000-2500 BC, and are accompanied by many other features, such as tumuli (earthen mounds built up over a grave), dolmens (chambers formed from upright stones overlain with capstones and originally buried beneath tumuli or rock cairns), and geometric shapes formed from rows of menhirs (generally rectangles and circles).  Some of these features are richly decorated with inscribed symbols and patterns, and excavated tombs have yielded wonderful artifacts.  All these constructions are the product of Neolithic farmers who subsisted on cereals and livestock their ancestors brought from the Fertile Crescent.  Some researchers believe that western France was the heartland of the European Megalithic culture, which spread outward to the British Isles and areas to the north.  Our tour, while sampling the cultural flavor of this unique part of France, will visit the most impressive and significant of the region’s megalithic sites to tell its story and explore its many mysteries.

Dates: September 6-14, 2024

Click here to view the itinerary and register for your spot!  Registration Deadline: June 6, 2024. Spots are limited, so register today!

Peru: Civilizations of Northern Peru

The Andean region possesses the oldest known civilization in the Americas, the earliest representative of which is the Caral-Supe Civilization of the narrow coastal strip, whose oldest city began around 3500 BC. The Andean Civilization is one of the six “pristine” civilizations in the world (the others being Egypt, Mesopotamia, China, Mesoamerica, and the Indus Valley), meaning purely indigenous and not derived from any other civilization. This region is known for extensive road systems, architecture and textile weaving. Agriculture in the coastal strip was possible only with irrigation from the high Andes, which allowed people to cultivate a wide variety of crops despite the hyper-arid coastal conditions. Food production spread from the coast into the Andes. Potatoes, peppers, peanuts, manioc, chocolate, and coca from the Andean region eventually became significant for trade worldwide. Archaeologists are making new discoveries nearly every day at the thousands of sites in Peru, of which much is not understood. This tour will feature an exploration of the sites and artifacts left behind by the cultures of northern Peru, comprising many of the most important and influential in the region. This includes a visit to the second largest adobe city in the world, Chan Chan; the oldest city in the Western Hemisphere, Caral; and an ancient citadel in the clouds that is called the “Machu Picchu of the North,” Kuelap. Our tour is led by a distinguished expert, Dr. Michele Koons of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, who is actively engaged in archaeological field research in Peru at one of our tour sites, Pañamarca.

Dates: October 1-13, 2024

Click here to view the itinerary and register for your spot!  Registration deadline July 1, 2024.

The Heartland of Ancient and Medieval Persia

The roots of ancient Persia lie in the Elamite Civilization and the Neolithic cultures that preceded it. The word “Persia” is a misnomer, as the Persians per se were one of a number of Iranian tribes that swept into the Iranian Plateau and created a series of empires that dominated the Middle East and much of central and south Asia for long periods over the past three millennia. This tour explores pre-Iranian cultures as well as the Achaemenid, Parthian and Sassanian empires and the complex and chaotic Medieval period, with a geographic focus on key sites of Iranian history.  Expect wonderful interactions with the warm, friendly and welcoming Iranian people.

Dates: February 28 - March 17, 2025

Click here to view the itinerary and register for your spot! Registration Deadline: November 30, 2024. Spots are limited, so register today!

The Viking Age in Denmark

The Viking Age officially began in AD 793 with the Viking raid on the island of Lindisfarne along the northeast coast of England and ended in the 11th century when the Norse kingdoms, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, adopted Christianity and established diplomatic relations with other European countries. Technological innovations in ship-building and sailing extended their reach westward to North America, southward into the Mediterranean Sea, and eastward as far as Persia. Their raids became legendary; they besieged Paris, Constantinople and other cities; and they and their descendants ruled far-flung territories from Greenland to Russia. The world knows them from their exploits in distant lands, but the best way to understand Vikings is to visit the places where they originated. Our ten-day tour of Denmark, led by experienced tour guide Svend A. Buus, is a journey around the length and breadth of the country, as well as a part of Germany, with stops at all the major Viking sites and interpretive centers, including the National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen. Along the way, you will enjoy gaining an unprecedented understanding of the remarkable Viking lifeway and culture, as well as the deep history and prehistory from which these fascinating people emerged.

Dates: May 29 - June 9, 2025

Click here to view the itinerary and register for your spot!  Registration deadline: January 28, 2025. Spots are limited, so register today!

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Peru: Ancient Cultures of the Coast & Andes

October 10, 2023.

Sponsored by: AIA Tours

Join AIA Lectuer and Host Dr. Gabriela Cervantes-Quequezana who is a Peruvian anthropological archaeologist. She has done extensive field research through survey and excavations in several regions of Peru, including the north, south, coast, and highlands. Gabriela is the director of the Chira Archaeological Project, which investigates local north coast societies like Tallán and the impact that expanding states such as Sicán and empires such as Chimú had on local communities. She researches ancient demographic patterns, monumental and domestic architecture, craft production of ceramics and metals, gender dynamics and women in ancient societies, economic inequality in the archaeological record, and more. Gabriela led this AIA tour of Peru in 2023, and looks forward to doing so again in 2024. Through illustrated lectures and informal discussions, she will provide an understanding of the numerous ancient Peruvian societies whose sites we visit, and the complex processes of adaption they each made in the many different ecological regions of Peru. This is sure to be an exciting and educational experience.

Highlights include:

– Your AIA lecturer will provide insights to spectacular archaeological sites from Peru’s many layers of ancient civilizations, plus anthropological insights to the country’s diverse cultural traditions and ecosystems. – This custom-designed, 15-night itinerary is carefully paced with three nights each in Cuzco, Chiclayo, and Urubamba’s Sacred Valley; plus two nights each in Machu Picchu Pueblo, Lima, and Trujillo. – Four of your six hotels are luxurious and the other two offer generous comfort  Enjoy in-depth explorations of many of the greatest archaeological sites in Peru: pyramids, temples, royal tombs, and colonial churches; plus splendid museum collections. – Peruvian cuisine is world renowned, and you will enjoy many special meals .

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Ancient Foxes Lived and Died Alongside Humans

Extinct foxes and other animals were an important part of early South American communities, a new study has found.

By Jack Tamisiea

When roving bands of hunter-gatherers domesticated the wolves scavenging their scraps at the end of the Pleistocene era, they set the stage for the tail-wagging, puppy-eyed canines we know and love today.

But dogs were not the only ancient canines to become companions. Archaeologists have found traces of foxes living among early communities throughout South America. This includes the nearly complete skeleton of an extinct fox discovered in northwestern Patagonia.

A team of researchers recently examined the fox’s bones, which were unearthed among the remains of dozens of hunter-gatherers. The team’s findings, published Tuesday in the journal Royal Society Open Science , posit that this fox lived alongside the humans it was buried with.

“It appears to have been intentionally buried within this human cemetery,” said Ophélie Lebrasseur, a zooarchaeologist at the University of Oxford and an author of the new study. “It’s a practice that had been suggested before, but to actually find it is a nice surprise.”

According to Dr. Lebrasseur, most archaeological traces of South American canids are usually isolated bones or teeth.

But the nearly complete skeleton of a foxlike animal was discovered when archaeologists excavated the Cañada Seca burial site in central Argentina in 1991.

The site, which was accidentally unearthed by local clay miners, also contained the bones of at least 24 human individuals and artifacts like necklace beads, lip ornaments and spear points. Analyses of the site’s human bones revealed that these people lived roughly 1,500 years ago and practiced a nomadic lifestyle.

The Cañada Seca canid skeleton was initially identified as a Lycalopex, a group of still-living foxlike canids. But closer examination of the creature’s teeth revealed that it was more likely to be the extinct Dusicyon avus, or D. avus, a medium-size fox that weighed as much as a small sheepdog and resembled a jackal. D. avus inhabited grasslands across a large swath of Patagonia from the late ice age until around 500 years ago. It was closely related to the Falkland Islands wolf, which was hunted to extinction in 1876.

Dr. Lebrasseur teamed up with Cinthia Abbona, a biologist at the Institute of Evolution, Historical Ecology and Environment in Argentina, and several other researchers to conclusively prove the identity of this skeleton. They ground down samples of the animal’s forearm and vertebrae, which they analyzed for snippets of ancient DNA.

Although the ancient DNA was degraded, the team was still able to recreate some of the fox’s genetic code. They compared it with complete genomes from domestic dogs and extant South American canids, like the closely related maned wolf. This strengthened the case that the animal buried at the Cañada Seca site was D. avus.

The genetic work also helped disprove the theory that these ancient foxes were doomed by hybridization. Some scientists speculate that when domestic dogs arrived in Patagonia around 900 years ago, they bred with foxes. This would have diluted the foxes’ gene pool and potentially created hybrid hounds capable of outcompeting purebred foxes.

But Dr. Lebrasseur and her colleagues found that the extinct foxes were most likely too genetically distinct from domesticated dogs to produce fertile offspring. Instead, the growing influence of humans on the local environment and a changing climate may have played larger roles in the species’ demise.

Another mystery was why the fox’s remains were interred at the Cañada Seca gravesite. The radiocarbon age of the fox’s bones matched the ages of the site’s human bones. The similar preservation of the two species’ bones also hinted that they were buried around the same time.

Additionally, the researchers examined isotopic signatures preserved in the fox’s teeth. While most wild canids eat almost exclusively meat, a portion of the fox’s diet was composed of maize-like plant material. This mirrors the amount of plant material that the humans buried at Cañada Seca were eating.

The new finding adds to a growing body of evidence that foxes and other native canids were important pieces of ancient South American communities. Ornaments fashioned from the teeth of foxlike culpeos adorn human remains at burial sites in Peru and Argentina. Archaeological deposits in Chile reveal that other canids were also part of the local diet.

“An animal that eats like humans and is buried like them must surely have had a close relationship with them,” said Aurora Grandal-d’Anglade, a zoo-archaeologist at the University of A Coruña in Spain, who was not involved in the study.

This relationship between fox and ancient humans may have been developed through systematic feeding. And it’s plausible that the foxes were used solely as companions, said Dr. Grandal-d’Anglade, who has studied fox remains found in Bronze Age deposits on the Iberian Peninsula.

While it appears this fox lived alongside the region’s early hunter-gatherers, Dr. Lebrasseur said she would be hesitant to snuggle up with it on the couch.

“I think the animal was likely tamed, but not something you would consider an actual pet,” she said.