Peruvian archaeologists have unearthed a 400-year-old temple buried beneath a dune in Lambayeque, Peru, as part of the Proyecto Paisajes Culturales de Ucupe-Valle de Zaña.

According to Luis Muro, the lead archaeologist, while awaiting radiocarbon dating for confirmation, initial evidence suggests the temple is likely part of a religious tradition from that period on Peru’s northern coast.

The temple features adobe walls forming a theater-like structure with central staircases, adorned with painted pictorial designs and high-relief figures of mythological characters.

Additionally, skeletal remains of three adults, possibly sacrificed in ritual ceremonies, were discovered alongside the temple walls, Reuters has reported.

Among the temple’s artworks is a high-relief depiction of a mythological figure blending human and bird features, predating influences from the Chavín culture of Peru’s central coast.

Written by B.C. Begley