Huaca San Marcos — University Pyramid Mound
Huaca San Marcos · Huaca de San Marcos
Early Intermediate to Middle Horizon (200 BCE–600 CE)·Lima culture (Maranga complex)·🇵🇪 Lima Region, Lima Province, San Marcos University Campus, Cercado, Peru
About
About Huaca San Marcos — University Pyramid Mound
Pyramidal mound within UNMSM Ciudad Universitaria fenced archaeological park belonging to Maranga complex alongside Huaca Aramburu and Huaca la Palma. Built with hand-made small adobitos characteristic of Lima culture White-on-Red phase, with terraces faced with painted plaster yellow and red. Excavated by UNMSM Institute, cist burials with Lima ceramics and textile bundles on summit. Survives amid campus buildings as island demonstration of Lima culture’s adobe pyramid hillocks before Wari advance.
Why it mattersType Lima culture mound within living university — education and urban archaeology laboratory.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Relation to Aramburu canal system
Theories
- 01San Marcos and La Palma were paired mounds for binary moiety division of Maranga polity
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 300–500 CE
- Period
- Early Intermediate to Middle Horizon (200 BCE–600 CE)
- Culture
- Lima culture (Maranga complex)
- Builders
- Lima culture
- Purpose
- Oldest pyramid mound in campus — Maranga-Lima pyramid mound on north rim of Maranga complex overlooking Rimac, university ceremonial nucleus
- Excavation
- Excavated
1996
UNMSM formally fences and registers Huaca San Marcos
2002
Undergraduate fieldschool clears north terrace
On the ground
Structures & features
12.0556° S · 77.0850° W · 140 m · 2 mapped features
Pyramid mound terraces north face
pyramidThree preserved terraces with adobito walls and ramp base
12.0551° S · 77.0850° WSummit cist burial area
burialSummit platform with excavated cist burials and ceramic offerings
12.0561° S · 77.0850° W
Gallery