La Florida pyramid
La Florida Pyramid, located in Lima, Peru, is an ancient ceremonial center built between 1800 and 1600 BCE. This impressive structure required an extensive effort, with an estimated seven million days of labor dedicated to its construction. It represents a significant achievement of the Initial Period in Peruvian history and is recognized as one of the earliest monumental buildings in the Americas. The pyramid served as a platform for worship and was an important site for the surrounding communities, coinciding with the growth of village life in the region. Unlike other pyramids of its time, La Florida was not intended for habitation but instead focused on ceremonial functions. Its construction involved multiple stages and utilized walls made of angular fieldstones covered with clay plaster. Excavations conducted in 1962 revealed additional platforms and structures at the base of the pyramid, though no residential evidence was found. La Florida thus stands as a testament to the early complexity of societal organization and architectural innovation in ancient Peru.
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La Florida pyramid
Related civilizations: La Florida, Guañape, Chira-Villa.
Date: constructed 1800-1600 b.c.e.
Locale: Andes, Lima
La Florida Pyramid
Built between 1800 and 1600 b.c.e., La Florida (lah floh-REE-dah) pyramid was a public ceremonial center in the city of Lima that required seven million days to construct. Along with early large temples and ceremonial centers of the north-central region of Peru, La Florida pyramid represents the earliest buildings known in the Americas. The presence of La Florida affirms that civilization in Peru first developed in this region. Considered the most prominent accomplishment of the Initial Period (1800-800 b.c.e.), La Florida was used as a worshiping platform by the different communities responsible for its existence and coincided with the expansion of village life. Similar to many great architectural achievements of this epoch, the construction of La Florida pyramid consisted of several stages. It evolved from the abandoned Río Seco pyramids, but unlike other prominent structures, the pyramid did not serve as a place of residence. Excavations in 1962 by the Museo Nacional de Antropología y Arqueología unearthed subsidiary platforms and buildings at the foot of the pyramid but did not reveal any evidence of habitation. The pyramid consisted of contiguous walls composed of angular fieldstones, which were covered with clay plaster.
Bibliography
Davies, Nigel. The Ancient Kingdoms of Peru. London: Penguin Books, 1997.
Lanning, Edward P. Peru Before the Incas. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1967.