Ancient Polychrome Wall Found in Northern Peru Likely Over 4,000 Years Old

Archaeologists work on a 4,500-year-old polychrome wall, part of a temple belonging to the Late Preceramic period, in the Huaca Tomabal in the Valley of Viru, Peru, on Aug. 22, 2023. Feren Castillo/PAVI/Handout via Reuters

LIMA—An ancient polychrome wall discovered in northern Peru is believed to be over 4,000 years old and could have been part of a ceremonial temple, according to archaeologists, offering new insights into the region’s historic cultures.

The wall was first stumbled upon by farmers in 2020 during harvesting work, prompting an extended dig and work to determine its origins, said archaeologist Feren Castillo, head of a research project in the coastal region of La Libertad.