Chankillo
Chankillo is an ancient site in the peruvian desert, near the town of Casma. It is about 2400 years old.
On a hill, there are 13 stone towers. They make it possible to determine the current season at sunrise.
On another hill, there is a fortress-like structure with two central towers and five concentric stone walls.
The gates have door lintels made of Algarrobo wood, which were preserved by the desert climate. By dating the tree-rings, it was possible to determine their age to be 2300 years.
Annotated map:
Other links:
Tree-rings Put Prehistoric Peru on the Calendar (Earthwatch institute)
Approaching Chankillo
Aerial view of the fortress
Road sign in the desert
Dunes and Algarrobo trees
Dunes and Algarrobo trees
Dune
Plundered graveyard
Pottery sherds
Pottery sherds and ropes
Pottery sherds and pumpkin
Thirteen Towers of Chankillo
Approaching the towers
Towers seen from north-west
Towers seen from west
Climbing to the towers
Tower #1
Eastern side of tower #1
Tower #1 seen from #2
Tower #2
Tower #3 and following
Building below the towers
Size comparison
Masonry detail
Chankillo Fortress
Fortress seen from below
Fortress seen from the towers
Climbing to the fortress
Reaching the outer wall
Outer walls
One of the gates
One of the gates
Lintel made of Algarrobo wood
Lintel made of Algarrobo wood
Inner gate
Inner gate
Wall corner
Algarrobo wood beams
Traces of mud plaster
Masonry detail
Central tower
Central tower
Concentric walls
Both central towers
Outer walls
Valley of Rio Casma
View towards the 13 towers
View towards the 13 towers
Mr Mouse in Chankillo
