A mysterious network of over 5,200 ancient holes carved into a peruvian mountainside has captivated researchers for decades. Known locally as Monte Sierpe, or Serpent Mountain, the site’s purpose remained largely unknown until now.New analysis of drone footage and pollen samples suggests the complex served as both a bustling marketplace for pre-Inca cultures and, later, a complex accounting system utilized by the Inca civilization-a theory detailed in a recent study published in the journal Antiquity.
Jakarta –
Nearly 5,200 holes stretching almost 1.5 kilometers across the Pisco Valley in the southern Peruvian Andes have puzzled researchers for almost a century. Now, a fresh look at the site, known as Monte Sierpe, or Serpent Mountain, may help archaeologists understand why it was constructed by ancient civilizations.
The network of holes first gained attention when National Geographic published aerial photographs of it in 1933. However, a lack of written records surrounding the formation has led to a wide range of interpretations over the years.
Proposed uses for the holes have included defense, accounting, storage, agriculture, water collection, and fog harvesting. Proponents of the ancient astronaut theory – the belief that aliens shaped early civilizations on Earth – have also speculated a connection to extraterrestrial beings.
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT
Recent drone footage and analysis of pollen found within the holes now suggest the site initially functioned as a bustling marketplace for pre-Inca cultures, and later as an accounting system for the Inca civilization. The findings are detailed in a study published in the journal Antiquity.
“Why ancient people created more than 5,000 holes at the foot of a hill in southern Peru is a question that has long intrigued researchers,” said Dr. Jacob Bongers, an archaeologist at the University of Sydney and lead author of the study. “We still don’t know the original purpose, but we’ve generated new data that offers promising clues and supports emerging theories about the site’s use.”
|
The holes at Serpent Mountain. Photo: CNN
|
Uncovering the Past
The sheer scale of Monte Sierpe has made comprehensive study difficult, but drone technology has provided a new perspective. Each hole measures between 1 and 2 meters wide and 0.5 to 1 meter deep. Drone photography reveals the holes are arranged into approximately 60 distinct sections, separated by open spaces.
Ancient pollen discovered within the holes indicates the presence of food crops like corn, as well as wild plants including reeds and willow traditionally used for basketry.
Harvested goods and other commodities were likely placed in these baskets or stored directly within the holes. It’s possible structures were also built above or near the holes, though no remnants of such buildings remain.
Researchers believe that people from the pre-Inca Chincha Kingdom, inhabiting both the coastal and highland regions of Peru, may have come to the site to exchange goods. “Important resources such as cotton, coca, corn, and chili peppers may have been placed in the holes and traded. For example, a certain number of holes might contain corn equivalent to a number of holes containing another commodity, like cotton or coca,” Bongers explained.
Dating of the holes suggests the site was in use between 600 and 700 years ago, constructed during Peru’s Late Intermediate Period, between 1000 and 1400 AD.
Pollen from citrus plants, introduced to the region during the colonial period between 1531 and 1825, indicates the site continued to be used after the fall of the Inca Empire in 1532, following the Spanish conquest of Peru. “The site was likely abandoned because the Spanish were unable to integrate it into their economic expansion,” Bongers said.
It’s possible that Monte Sierpe initially consisted of only a few sections of holes used as a barter market before being expanded under the Inca Empire, or even completed before the Incas arrived. Regardless, the team believes the Incas utilized it as a large-scale accounting tool.
“It’s plausible that Monte Sierpe was essentially an ‘Excel spreadsheet’ for the Inca Empire,” Bongers stated.
The segmented layout of Monte Sierpe mirrors the Inca system of record-keeping using knotted strings called khipu. One such device, featuring 80 strings, was discovered in the Pisco Valley.
“The numbers encoded on these strings demonstrate a series of complex arithmetic relationships, suggesting they are records remaining from the accounting operations that may have been used at Monte Sierpe,” Bongers added.
(fyk/fyk)
