In the Peruvian Chankillo district or Chankillo (Chankillo) department of Ancash there was once a mysterious ceremonial complex, the area of which is 4 square kilometers. It is believed that it was built in the 4th century BC and was a fortified temple. The most notable part of the complex is a low hill in the desert area east of the temple, on the ridge of which, from north to south, there are thirteen almost identical well-preserved towers. Each tower has a pair of stairs leading upstairs.
From a distance, they look like the spine of a giant dinosaur, sticking out of the sand, about 300 meters long. The towers, built of stone, vary in height - from two to seven meters. But the five-meter intervals between them are observed exactly.
Initially, scientists assumed it was just a protected area surrounded by a triple wall. Because of this, the technique of laying stones, characteristic of fortresses, spoke. But the fortification looks very ridiculous from a military point of view, because it is almost impossible to protect it: there are many entrances, there is no water source inside. In addition, the towers are located a few hundred meters from the top of the hill and are lined up almost in a straight line.
The objects that were found there in 2000 by the archaeologist from the Catholic University of Peru, Ivan Ghezzi, during excavations, confirmed the cult purpose of the center. Therefore, in 2007, archaeologists hypothesized that it may have been a place of worship and a kind of solar observatory.
At a distance of about 230 meters from the towers in the east and west there are two points from which, as the researchers assume, observations of the sun were carried out. From their advantageous location, the positions of the rising and setting sun are most closely visible throughout the year. If you stand at the western point, you can see the sunrise, however, in what exactly the interval between the towers depends on the season.
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During the summer solstice, which falls in December in Peru, the sun can be observed to the right of the rightmost tower, during the winter solstice, in June, to the left of the leftmost. In between, the sun is visible between the battlements of the towers.
The position of the first tower corresponds to sunrise on June 21, and the last one on December 21. It also turned out that the towers cast shadows for a reason. Since they are tropics, they point north one half of the year and south the other. When the sun is at its zenith, the shadows disappear. Perhaps, in this way, farmers received important information, for example, about the time of planting seasonal crops.
The decisive discovery was the discovery of a group of buildings located 180 meters to the west. As a result of excavations, archaeologists discovered not only the buildings themselves, but also a long 40-meter stone passage that led from the buildings directly to the western observation point, with no branches or exits from it.
It remains a mystery why there are thirteen towers.