Thirteen Towers of Chanquillo solar observatory
Trece Torres de Chanquillo (observatorio solar)
- Date
- c. 300 BCE · confidence medium
- Place
- Chankillo, Casma, Ancash, Peru
- Credited to
- Casma culture (Late Formative Period)
- Field
- Cosmos & Earth
What it is
A row of thirteen towers on a hilltop which, seen from two observation points, marks sunrise and sunset throughout the year. It is the oldest horizon solar observatory in the Americas.
Ghezzi and Ruggles (Science, 2007).
What it led to
- a solar calendar for festivals and agriculture
- UNESCO World Heritage status (2021)