SUPE SETTLEMENTS OF THE VALLEY UPPER, MEDIUM AND LOWER SECTIONS AND COASTLINE

On the Coastline

Spero

The Áspero archaeological complex is 500 meters away from the Pacific Ocean, at the right bank of the Supe River, in a natural environment comprised by hills, terraces, dunes, wetlands, farmland and beaches. It occupies 18.75 hectares.

A differentiated social structure and specialized activities of Áspero population may be inferred from the materials recovered in 22 sectors of the city. There are seven stepped pyramidal buildings, which would have been conducted by the leading class, and used for social, administrative and worship activities. Huaca Alta, Huaca de los Ídolos and Huaca de los Sacrificios stand out. In the city, elite residential buildings were also identified, as well as other smaller ones. Áspero supplied significant sea resources to the population of Caral civilization during the Initial Formative period, and to the residents of the valley after the economic crisis, during the Early Formative period.

In the lower Section

Right bank:

El Molino

Settlement of the Early Formative period, formed by minor public buildings. Its architectural designs, style and building techniques are similar to those of contemporary settlements, such as Vichama in the Huaura valley and Piedra Parada in the Supe valley.

The urban design of the El Molino archaeological site has been affected by facilities built in the hacienda period, which continued to be used by the Agrarian Cooperative, and by the modern houses built in the current urban center of that name. There are only a few archaeological buildings between houses and fields.

Era De Pando

The archaeological site occupies the gully called Era de Pando, 13 km away from the coastline. The gully is formed by three geological terraces of colluvial formation, in the middle of a wide plain with runoffs from the Taro and Orqueta mountains. It is a natural way to connect with the Pativilca valley and the Tayta Laynes micro-basin.

The architectural components of the archaeological site, of 57.93 hectares, were built on the terraces and the neighboring hills’ slopes.

Two periods of occupation have been identified. The larger expansion of built space occurred during the Initial Formative period, with large public stepped pyramidal buildings, sunken circular plazas inside quadrangular platforms, minor public buildings, over the former ones, located in a peripheral area.

This settlement was being affected by a concession granted without assessing its cultural heritage condition. After a process for protecting and defending it, this property was recovered for the nation and it was registered as State property.

Left bank:

Piedra Parada

The Piedra Parada urban center, of 37.54 hectares, was built on low rocky promontories of the Andes range, covered by dunes, known as Tutumo. That place has access to the river, to the riverside forest, to wetlands with totora and reed, to sandy soils, farmland and the beach -2.63 kilometer away- and its fish and shellfish resources.

Piedra Parada is formed by public buildings of extended architecture and residential compounds with Early Formative period features. At that time, it was the main urban center of the Supe valley’s low section.

The relocation of the farmers that have been located in the nuclear area of the old settlement is in process.