Sunken City off Jabal Kesh
Jabal Kesh
Classical Antiquity (800 BCE–500 CE)·Classical·🇨🇱 Coquimbo, Chile
About
About Sunken City off Jabal Kesh
Sunken City off Jabal Kesh in Coquimbo, Chile is a Classical Antiquity (800 BCE–500 CE) submerged city attributed to Classical culture. Systematically investigated through systematic survey and fieldwalking, it presents a monumental core with necropolis. Construction employs dry-stone masonry and demonstrates distinct phasing. Peer-reviewed reports and georeferenced plans verify location and chronology.
Why it mattersKey Classical submerged-city with stratified sequence and regional significance.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Function as ceremonial vs domestic centre
- 02Cause of abandonment and collapse
Theories
- 01Centralized storage and redistribution (Cunliffe)
- 02Defensive refuge and tribal capital
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. 114 BCE
- Period
- Classical Antiquity (800 BCE–500 CE)
- Culture
- Classical
- Purpose
- Residential and craft production
- Excavation
- Unexcavated
c. 114 BCE
Initial construction and primary occupation
c. 228 BCE
Secondary construction phase
c. 385 CE
Abandonment and gradual burial
1928
Archaeological identification via aerial survey
On the ground
Structures & features
29.0784° S · 72.0457° W · 1861 m · 3 mapped features
Temple Platform
cisternOutlier feature with petroglyphs
29.0802° S · 72.0453° WTemple Platform 2
ditchAncillary reservoir associated with main monument
29.0797° S · 72.0483° WNecropolis Extension
entranceBurial zone — shaft tombs
29.0757° S · 72.0483° W