La Galgada Pyramidal Complex (Tablachaca)
La Galgada · Galgada · Tablachaca Galgada · Galgada Kotosh temple
Late Preceramic to Initial Period (Kotosh–Mito tradition)·Kotosh / highland Áncash (Mito tradition)·🇵🇪 Áncash, Tablachaca Valley — La Galgada village near confluence of Tablachaca and Santa (Pallasca), Peru
About
About La Galgada Pyramidal Complex (Tablachaca)
Late Preceramic to Initial Period Kotosh-religious tradition pyramidal complex at La Galgada (Tablachaca Canyon) — two U-shaped platform pyramids (North Mound 30×25 m base 6 m high, South Mound similar) with central niched temple (Mito/Kotosh style), sunk court and multiple chambered tombs with textile fragments. Sequence 2200–1000 BCE (Grieder-Bueno). Excavated by Terence Grieder & Alberto Bueno Mendoza (University of Texas & Lima) 1978–85 who found cotton textiles and 800 m of terracing. Links Kotosh, Huaricoto and Caral north coast to highland valley.
Why it mattersKey Kotosh-Mito tradition valley centre linking coast (Caral, Aspero) to highland Huaricoto; early cotton textiles c.1800 BCE among oldest in Peru.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Dual-mound dualism meaning
- 02Textile iconography vs Chavín later
Theories
- 01Galgada was highland cotton exchange linking Casma cotton to highland minerals
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. 2200–1000 BCE (Late Preceramic to Initial Period)
- Period
- Late Preceramic to Initial Period (Kotosh–Mito tradition)
- Culture
- Kotosh / highland Áncash (Mito tradition)
- Builders
- Tablachaca highland community
- Purpose
- Dual pyramidal temple platforms with chamber tombs and sunken plaza
- Abandoned
- c. 1000 BCE
- Rediscovered
- 1978 (Grieder-Bueno)
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c. 2200–1000 BCE (Late Preceramic to Initial Period)
Initial construction
c. 1087 CE
Rediscovery
On the ground
Structures & features
8.4708° S · 77.8419° W · 1100 m · 3 mapped features
North Mound pyramid
pyramid30×25 m U-platform pyramid 6 m north
8.4708° S · 77.8419° WSouth Mound pyramid
pyramidTwin south U-platform 30 m
8.4712° S · 77.8422° WSunken court between
court20×15 m sunken plaza linking mounds
8.4710° S · 77.8420° W