Pen Rig Mere Buried Settlement
Mississippian (800–1600 CE)·Mississippian·🇦🇷 Catamarca, Argentina
About
About Pen Rig Mere Buried Settlement
Pen Rig Mere Buried Settlement in Catamarca, Argentina is a Mississippian (800–1600 CE) buried city attributed to Mississippian culture. Systematically investigated through ground-penetrating radar and stratigraphic excavation, it presents a central mound with ancillary settlement. Construction employs ashlar with clamp and demonstrates long-distance exchange. Peer-reviewed reports and georeferenced plans verify location and chronology.
Why it mattersKey Mississippian buried-city with stratified sequence and regional significance.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Chronology and phasing of monuments
- 02Astronomical alignment and orientation
Theories
- 01Territorial marker and boundary statement
- 02Ritual landscape and ancestral veneration
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. 1035 CE
- Period
- Mississippian (800–1600 CE)
- Culture
- Mississippian
- Purpose
- Necropolis and ritual
- Excavation
- Unexcavated
c. 1035 CE
Initial construction and primary occupation
c. 1197 CE
Major enlargement and wall circuit added
c. 1251 CE
Peak occupation and regional prominence
1966
Scientific excavation and conservation
On the ground
Structures & features
26.6121° S · 67.0906° W · 930 m · 3 mapped features
Shrine
alignmentAncillary reservoir associated with main monument
26.6112° S · 67.0925° WTemple Platform
gatewayPrimary buried city at Pen Rig Mere Buried Settlement — enclosure wall
26.6113° S · 67.0876° WAncillary Complex
cisternHydraulic feature — well
26.6117° S · 67.0925° W