History

South Africa’s “Apartheid killer’ who murdered no less than 39 black and mixed race people over three years in the 1980s, claims that his killings were sanctioned by the police.

Knewz.com has learned that Van Schoor, who was a security guard at the time, tracked down intruders and trespassers who were black or mixed race and shot them to death—actions that the Eastern Cape Community of East London was not only aware of but encouraged.

As a testimony to his claim, he reported every person he killed between the years of 1986 and 1989 to the police himself with no ramifications.

“Every officer in East London knew what was going on… all the police officers knew,” the 73-year-old said.

“Not once did anybody say ‘Hey Louis, you’re on the borderline or you should cool it or whatever’… they all knew what was happening.”

His job at the time was to protect predominantly white-owned businesses that comprised restaurants, shops, factories, and schools. He claims that every one of the individuals he caught breaking into the premises was a criminal.

Although he admitted to getting a rush out of killing people, he still claimed he was only doing his job.

“I was barefoot. It’s quiet. You don’t have your shoes squeaking on tiles and stuff.” 

“If somebody breaks in, the adrenaline gives off an odor. And you can pick that up,” said the former cop who worked in the “attack dog” division.

The Apartheid regime, at the time, permitted the use of deadly force on intruders who resisted arrest or tried to flee—and this is how Van Schoor justified his actions.

Those who survived a brush with him, however, indicated otherwise.

One of his victims (14 years old at the time) who preferred to remain anonymous claimed that when Van Schoor caught him, he stood him up against a wall and shot him several times.

He fell to the floor. Van Schoor told him to stand up and when he was unable to, Van Schoor kicked him in the mouth, picked him up, propped him against a table, and shot him again.

To rack up the noted body count (which some say was closer to 100), he sometimes killed more than one person per night. 

His actions made him a bogeyman figure among the local black community where he fearfully was referred to as “whiskers” in the indigenous Xhosa language.

His homicidal tenure would grind to a halt when the post-apartheid president-to-be, Nelson Mandela was released from jail. 

Increasing pressure led to his arrest and a judge found that 32 of the killings were “justifiable” and Van Schoor was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

According to Isa Jacobson, a local journalist who has been investigating the Van Schoor case for two decades, the then-state-aligned killer’s victims “were intruders who were, in a lot of cases, pretty desperate. Digging through bins, maybe stealing some food… petty criminals.”

According to a report by BBC News, Van Schoor, however, has no regrets.

“I honestly don’t know how many I shot. Some say over 100, some say 40… Let’s say for argument’s sake I shot 50 people,” 

“I don’t feel any guilt,” said van Schoor who also claims he is not racist. “I’ve got no remorse inside.”

Archaeologists have discovered hundreds of ancient standing stone circles in Saudi Arabia, some of which are around 7,000 years old.

Knewz.com has learned that the discovery was made at the archaeological site in the volcanic field of Harrat al-Uwairidh, located in Northwestern Saudi Arabia.

The team of archaeologists discovered a total of 345 of these stone structures via aerial surveys, of which they have singled out eight structures that experts believe could have originated in the Neolithic era.

These stone circles are around 13 to 26 feet in diameter and have at least one standing stone at the center.

The team of archaeologists working on the site wrote in a paper published in the journal Levant under the section ‘The Journal of the Council for British Research’ that these standing stone circles were “individual dwellings, constructed in concentrations of varying numbers with associated domestic installations, such as hearths.”

These ancient stone circles served as the foundation for stone walls and at least one doorway.

Archaeologists believe that the roofs of these dwellings were likely made of either stone or organic materials.

“Most structures have at least one doorway, formed by two upright stone slabs positioned perpendicular to the exterior walls. A stone threshold was placed between these slabs, forming a step into the structure. The doorways are often blocked with smaller stones positioned across the threshold,” read the paper published in Levant.

“A flat stone surface is often identified within the structure, abutting the walls, adjacent to doorways and/or the central stone. These surfaces may be interpreted as floors, but are generally incomplete, so are best described as work surfaces,” the paper added.

“Although appearing precarious, the arrangement must have been fairly stable and functional when weight was placed on top of the stones to hold them in place.”

The team of archaeologists mentioned that these structures are similar to the previously discovered Neolithic pastoral sites in eastern and southern Jordan.

The research into these structures revealed that they date back to the 6th to 5th millennia B.C., making them around 7,000 years old. Commenting on the significance of the discovery, the paper wrote:

“These structures provide evidence of ongoing occupation throughout the 6th and 5th millennia BCE, concurrent with a general florescence of human activity across north-west Arabia.”

In addition to the structures, the archaeologists also found “faunal remains,” or remains of animals, which offer an insight into the food habits of the ones who dwelled in these stone circle houses.

Bones found at the sites suggest that their diet included meat from domestic livestock as well as available wildlife.

The team of archaeologists also found an array of stone tools, made from the igneous rock basalt. The research noted that excavations at five of the ancient stone circles alone yielded nearly 500 pounds of stone tools and debris.

Furthermore, it was reported that the archaeologists also found a variety of seashells at these ancient sites believed to be from the Red Sea, around 75 miles west of the stone circles of Harrat al-Uwairidh.

The fact that seashells from so far away were found at these sites indicates “developing networks of trade and exchange, concurrent with mobility,” according to the paper.

Archaeologists have discovered the skeletons of 24 individuals on the grounds of The Old Bell Hotel in the United Kingdom, dating back to the 7th Century.

Knewz.com has learned that the discovery was made in the Malmesbury region of the Wiltshire ceremonial county.

The 1000-year-old burials are possibly physical evidence of the early Monastic community associated with the Malmesbury Abbey located near The Old Bell Hotel, where the skeletons were found.

The Old Bell Hotel itself is a historic building, dating back to 1220, i.e. built around 500 years after Malmesbury Abbey.

The discovery was made by archaeological service provider Cotswold Archaeology, in association with volunteer archaeologists, on the occasion of Big Aethelstan Dig Day—a celebration of the 1100th anniversary of Athelstan’s crowning as the first King of all England.

“The Anglo-Saxon remains of men, women, and children were found in the hotel’s grounds, which lie adjacent to Malmesbury Abbey. These discoveries are particularly significant as they relate to the earliest days of the abbey, initially established as a monastery,” Cotswold Archaeology said in a press release.

While the discovery of graves near a church is not uncommon, the sheer number of burials found on the grounds of The Old Bell Hotel has surprised archaeologists.

The team working on the site believes that the 24 skeletons recently discovered date back to between 670 and 940 A.D.

“Contrary to expectations, these graves are positioned not in the believed location of the medieval cemetery – to the south of the Abbey – but west of the former cloisters,” a Cotswold Archaeology spokesperson said about the discovered skeletons.

“Even more astonishing is the identification of Saxon remains, a first for Malmesbury, where no physical evidence of early monastic life had been found before.”

Malmesbury resident Paolo Guarino commented on the findings, mentioning that although historical sources suggest Malmesbury Abbey was founded between the 7th and 9th century, “we never had solid evidence before this excavation.”

“The discovery includes remains from the Middle Saxon period, marking the first confirmed evidence of 7th to 9th century activity in Malmesbury,” Guarino added.

Local resident and historian Tony McAleavy weighed on the matter saying that the discovery of the burials “transform our understanding of the birth of Malmesbury Abbey in the 7th and 8th centuries.”

McAleavy added that the burials “shed new light on the way Malmesbury Abbey functioned during its golden age, a period when it was one of the leading centres of scholarship in western Europe,” per the Cotswold Archaeology press release.

The spokesperson from the archaeological service provider said in a statement that the builders involved in the construction of The Old Bell Hotel were likely unaware of the glory of the neighboring Abbey.

“There is plentiful archaeological evidence that medieval walls were constructed directly over, and sometimes even through, burials. It’s likely that The Old Bell’s builders encountered some human remains while laying the foundations but chose to proceed with their work regardless,” the spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News.

Kim and Whit Hanks, the current owners of The Old Bell Hotel, shared their excitement about the recent discovery, saying:

“We are honoured to act as stewards of local history, a responsibility we take very seriously. This exciting discovery intertwines history with the present, providing a rare insight into the lives of Middle Saxon period Malmesbury residents.”

“It’s fitting that the earliest remains have been found near the Abbey, on the grounds of England’s oldest hotel. Our passion for history and ancestral ties to Malmesbury since the 1500s make our involvement in preserving the town’s heritage even more meaningful,” they added.

Archaeologists in Peru have recently discovered the remains of elite members of a pre-Inca society dating back approximately 800 years.

Knewz.com has learned that the discovery was made at Chan Chan, the ancient capital of the Chimu civilization located near the present-day Peruvian city of Trujillo.

The Chimu civilization was the one that maintained the largest and the most significant political system in ancient Peru before the Inca civilization came along.

The civilization began to take shape in the first half of the 14th century A.D., during which they constructed cities and developed large-scale irrigation systems.

Somewhere between 1465 and 1470 A.D., the civilization was conquered by the Inca under the leadership of Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui and his son Topa Inca Yupanqui.

Following the conquest, the Inca adopted several aspects of Chimu culture, notably their political organization, irrigation systems, and road engineering.

Notably, the ancient Chimu capital of Chan Chan is known for its elaborate architecture of mud bricks, which made it one of the largest cities in the world built with “adobe”—a certain type of brick made using a sun-dried mixture of clay and straw.

A team of archaeologists discovered the remains during an excavation project aimed at restoring the perimeter walls of a palace complex in the ancient capital.

Overall, the team found the remains of eleven individuals, and judging by the adornments found with them – including necklaces, earrings, and bracelets – it was determined that they belonged to the wealthy class of the ancient city.

Britannica explains that the ancient Chimu society was distributed into social classes, from peasants to nobility.

Sinthya Cueva, the lead archeologist of the project, commented that the people found buried at the site “were probably members of the Chimu’s governing class.”

However, the lead archaeologist also pointed out that the remains have been “disturbed” and that they showed signs of “violent death.” She further noted that the graves were found in an area that did not have “the common characteristics of a cemetery,” per a Reuters report.

Peru has been the site of several exciting discoveries this month, as earlier in July, a team of archaeologists discovered a 5,000-year-old ceremonial temple in the South American nation.

The discovery was made at the Los Paredones de la Otra Banda-Las Ánimas Archaeological Complex in the Zaña Valley in Peru, where a team of archaeologists had been carrying out excavations since June 3.

Dr. Luis Armando Muro, an archaeologist from the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru and the leader of the research, described the ceremonial site in a statement, saying:

“We are possibly in front of a religious enclosure of five thousand years old that constitutes an architectural space defined by walls. We have what would have been a central staircase from which you would ascend to a kind of stage in the central part.”

“We are still waiting for radio-carbon dating to confirm the date, but the evidence suggests this religious construction could be part of a religious tradition of temples built on Peru’s northern coast during that period,” Dr. Muro said in a separate statement, per reports.

The team of archaeologists also found the skeletal remains of three adults between the walls and bases of the site, which Dr. Muro believes was once a multi-storied structure.

One of the skeletons was accompanied by offerings that could have originally been wrapped in cloth or linen, according to the assumptions made by the Pontifical Catholic University archaeologist.

The features of a 1,500-year-old mummy have been revealed after scientists were able to reconstruct her face with the help of a CT scan.

Knewz.com has learned that said mummy – a woman who hailed from Roman-occupied Egypt and died in her 40s – has not been unwrapped since her discovery in 2011.

The reason for the latter is that archeologists and scientists alike endeavor to preserve the woman’s remains for as long as possible.

Be this as it may, Cicero Moraes, the lead expert in charge of the project and the ensuing academic paper, drew his data from a CT scan—the result of which is thought to be a likeness of the female from the Middle Ages, who is suspected to have succumbed to tuberculosis.

“The structure is very well preserved, in the original state of discovery, without the mummy being unwrapped,” Moraes explained.

“Something that draws attention is the presence of short, curly hair, which can be seen in the tomography reconstruction,” he said of the smooth-skinned, frizzy-haired image.

“Initially, we reconstructed the skull, based on the computed tomography [medical imaging using numerous computer-processed combinations of X-ray measurements to produce a cross-section], and later adjusted the position of the jaw.”

“The skull allows us to design structures such as the nose, ears, eye position, lip limits and others, using data measured in tomography scans of living people,” he explained.

“Furthermore, we use measurements carried out using ultrasound, also on living people, to find out the thickness of the soft tissue in different regions of the skull.”

The study further noted that because of the woman’s Roman-Egyptian origins, the same tissue thickness seen in European women between the ages of 40 and 49 was applied to her features before it was blended with another visage.

“This is where we adjust the face and skull of a virtual donor to suit the parameters of the gilded lady, resulting in a structurally compatible face,” Moraes explained.

“At the end we cross-reference all the data, interpolating the projections to create the final face.”

The result was what Moraes observed to be “a delicate, youthful-looking face.”

It was also noted that the woman also seemed to have an overbite 

Not averse to humor, he claimed: “She reminds me of my mother-in-law in some ways! During the process, I showed it to some family members and they all agreed,” via Pen News.

This reconstruction is not Moraes’ first rodeo. Knewz.com reported on his reconstruction of the 300,000 male believed to be among the first humans to walk the Earth. 

Said the male’s skull was found at the Moroccan Jebel Irhoud archeological dig in 2017 and after Moraes’ work, the face was described as “strong and serene.”

“It is currently the oldest Homo sapiens, dating to approximately 315,000 years before present,” Moraes, who is also a professor and produces veterinary prosthetics, said of the skull.

A groundbreaking new documentary suggests that America‘s 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, may have led a secret gay life.

Knewz.com has learned that the film titled Lover of Men: The Untold History of Abraham Lincoln delves into romantic relationships Lincoln allegedly had with men, proposing a nuanced and revelatory chapter in the storied life of “Honest Abe”.

The documentary, directed by Shaun Peterson, is described as a meticulous exploration of Lincoln’s intimate connections with men, supported by esteemed historians from Harvard, Columbia, Brown, Wellesley, and Rutgers.

Promotional material for the project states, “As told by preeminent Lincoln scholars and never before seen photographs and letters, the film details Lincoln’s romantic relationships with men.”

Peterson’s film argues for a reevaluation of Lincoln’s personal life in the context of 19th-century sexual mores, which were markedly different from contemporary views. The documentary highlights how societal norms regarding human sexuality have evolved, and challenges audiences to reconsider their understanding of historical figures’ private lives.

One prominent historian contributing to the film succinctly puts it: “Lincoln probably slept in the same bed with more men than he did with women.” This assertion is backed by evidence in the form of personal letters and photographs, presented to the public for the first time.

The documentary has arrived at a moment when Lincoln’s legacy is enjoying renewed attention in pop culture. 

Comedic actor Cole Escola plays Mary Todd Lincoln in the Broadway show Oh, Mary!, a production that humorously yet poignantly explores the final weeks before Lincoln’s assassination. 

The play has been described by Variety as, “unquestionably the funniest, gayest, campiest play Broadway has seen in years.”

The New York Post rated the show highly, noting that “Escola, in grandiose Wednesday Addams drag (the costumes by Holly Pierson are a character, themselves), brilliantly plays Mary as a raging alcoholic and bored, acid-tongued housewife.”

Understanding Lincoln’s potential relationships with men is portrayed by the filmmakers as an important missing piece of American history. This revelation, if accepted by the broader public and academia, could significantly alter perceptions of one of the most revered figures in U.S. history.

The documentary also delves broadly into the history of human sexual fluidity, underscoring the disparity between 19th-century and modern sexual ethics. It invites the audience to contemplate why contemporary views on sexuality are often limited and exclusionary.

The film’s credibility is bolstered by contributions from scholars at leading academic institutions. 

Historians interviewed for the documentary argue that revisiting historical records with a modern understanding of sexuality provides new dimensions to Lincoln’s story. 

They insist on the importance of viewing historical figures in their entirety, including aspects of their lives that were either overlooked or intentionally hidden.

A historian from Harvard noted, “The intimate relationships that Abraham Lincoln had with men, evidenced through his letters and personal correspondence, illuminate a different side of his character. These are men with whom Lincoln shared deep, meaningful, emotional bonds—a fact often glossed over by mainstream historical accounts.”

With the claims asserted in Lover of Men, the documentary has generated considerable buzz online. Social media platforms are abuzz with debates and discussions about the implications of these revelations. While some applaud the film for its courage in exploring untouchable historical territories, others express skepticism or outright denial, per Radar Online.

One viewer commented, “If what this documentary says is true, it fundamentally changes how we view one of America’s greatest presidents. It’s an incredible piece of our national story that we need to reckon with.”

Archaeologists have recently discovered a 4,000-year-old temple with a mysterious monolith over 7 feet high on the island of Cyprus.

Knewz.com has learned that the excavation and research on the site are being carried out by the University of Siena, in association with the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus.

The latest discovery was made at the archaeological site of Erimi, in south-central Cyprus.

Professor Luca Bombardieri of the University of Siena in Italy, who is leading the research, believes that the temple belonged to a Middle Bronze Age artisanal settlement in the region.

He also claimed that this was the oldest recorded temple on the island so far, dating back to somewhere between 2000 to 1600 B.C.

“During the Middle Bronze Age (around 2000-1600 BC) a community of craftsmen chose to settle on the hill of Erimi and to build a community living space with very particular characteristics,” the Professor explained in a press release from the University.

“The primitive settlement of Erimi is located in the hinterland of Limassol and extends over a high limestone terrace overlooking the course of the Kouris river and a large portion of the Gulf coast of Kourion and the Akrotiri peninsula.”

“Recent excavations have led to the discovery of the oldest sacred building attested in Cyprus, whose ritual function and ideological value seem to be of particular meaning,” Bombardieri added.

The mysterious, 7.5-foot monolith was discovered in a room on the Western wing of the artisanal complex.

The Professor explained that the monolith was likely originally placed in the center of the room, but subsequently “collapsed on the floor and destroyed a large amphora placed at its feet in front of a small circular hearth.”

An Amphora is an ancient container shaped somewhat like a vase, with two handles, and according to Britannica, is “one of the principal vessel shapes in Greek pottery.”

Bombardieri mentioned that the monolith is completely smooth, and has a circular motif at its center.

“The peculiarities of this [room]… indicate that it is a small sacred space, the oldest actually attested on this island, with interesting cultural function precisely because it is located within the laboratory complex,” he explained in the press release.

“In this way, the activity that economically supported the community also ideologically and symbolically involved its members.”

It was reported that the archaeologists made another interesting discovery at the site—the remains of a possible ancient murder victim.

The remains of a young woman were found “sealed” in the building, her skull smashed and a heavy stone placed on her chest. Reports noted that the heavy stone was probably meant to hold her still.

Professor Bombardieri commented that the woman was likely killed around the Middle Bronze Age, likely due to reasons associated with maternity. He also noted that this killing might be related to “other [similar] cases recorded in the past in other parts of Cyprus.”

It was reported by Newsweek that archaeologists uncovered several “lost” tombs on the grounds of a British overseas military base in Cyprus earlier in 2024.

During a survey conducted in the Eastern Sovereign Base Area (ESBA) in March, located near the Southern coast of Cyprus, archaeologists from the University of Leicester found a total of 51 archaeological sites over a 12-mile-wide area, some of which dated back to the Bronze Age. Many of these sites were thought to have been lost to history, per the report.

A 125-million-year-old dinosaur skeleton, noted to be one of the most complete assemblages of bones discovered in the last century, was excavated from an island off the southern coast of England.

Knewz.com has learned that the creature it belonged to, Comptonatus chasei, lived in a period when ocean levels were higher and continents were divided by small seas.

Said Comptonatus chasei – named after a relic hunter Nick Chase who discovered the 149-bone skeleton – is believed to be a herbivorous dinosaur—the remains of which were first found in 2013.

Despite it being excavated (on the Isle of Wight) more than a decade ago, it was only identified recently.

Jeremy Lockwood, a retired GP and associate scientist at the United Kingdom’s Museum of Natural History, helped with the excavation.

He weighed in on the find saying:

“It (the discovery) helps us understand more about the different types of dinosaurs that lived in England in the early Cretaceous.”

“This adds to recent research that shows that Wessex was one of the world’s most diverse ecosystems.”

Lockwood confirmed the weight of the prehistoric animal saying:

“This animal would have been around a tonne, about the size of a large male American bison.” 

“Evidence from fossil footprints found nearby shows it was likely to be a herding animal, so possibly large herds of these heavy dinosaurs may have been thundering around if spooked by predators on the floodplains over 120m years ago.”

A paper published in the Journal of Systematic Paleontology indicated that the creature’s pubic hip bone was around the size of a dinner plate.

Not quite clear on why the structural component was so large, Lockwood speculated, saying:

“It [the bone] was probably for muscle attachments, which might mean its mode of locomotion was a bit different, or it could have been to support the stomach contents more effectively, or even have been involved in how the animal breathed, but all of these theories are somewhat speculative.”

When the skeleton was first found, the dinosaur was thought to be the three-toed herbivorous Mantellisaurus, but certain characteristics corrected this way of thinking.

Lockwood noted that the Comptonatus chasei had “unique features in its skull, teeth, and other parts of its body.”

He also observed that “its lower jaw has a straight bottom edge, whereas most iguanodontians [large plant-eating dinosaurs from the same period believed to have walked on all four legs] have a jaw that curves downwards.”

Lockwood praised Chase for the find saying: “Nick had a phenomenal nose for finding dinosaur bones. He collected fossils daily in all weathers and donated them to museums,” per The Guardian.

The discovery comes a year after the largest known carnivorous dinosaur skeleton was found on the same island.

“The size of the specimen is impressive. It is one of the biggest, and possibly the biggest, known land predator ever to stalk Europe,” said PhD paleontology student at the University of Southampton, Chris Barker, via the Natural History Museum.

An ancient Roman garden likely owned by Emperor Caligula and dating back around 2,000 years has recently been unearthed near the Vatican.

Knewz.com has learned that the discovery was made during the construction project to pedestrianize the Piazza Pia in Rome.

The Piazza Pia is a square located just outside the Vatican walls, in proximity to St. Peter’s Basilica and other notable landmarks.

The ongoing construction project focuses on connecting Castel Sant’Angelo with Via della Conciliazione, by diverting traffic through an underpass and making the square a pedestrian zone.

Notably, the project, which has a budget of around $75.8 million, is part of the preparations for the Vatican’s Jubilee Year 2025, an event that is expected to see a turnout of millions of people.

The project led to the discovery of the significant 2,000-year-old garden overlooking the right bank of the river Tiber.

Archaeologists have identified walls made of travertine rocks and the base of a portico marked with the remains of several columns.

However, it was the discovery of a lead water pipe that helped the experts date the site. The pipe bears an inscription that points toward the Roman Emperor Caligula, whose brief reign spanned from 37 to 41 A.D.

Born Gaius Caesar Germanicus, the Emperor got the nickname “Caligula” – meaning “Little Boot” – from the soldiers of his father Germanicus Caesar. Emperor Caligula was also the adoptive son of the Roman Emperor Tiberius.

He is considered a rather cruel and tyrannical Emperor, who executed Naevius Sutorius Macro, a key figure in his accession to the throne of Rome. He also ordered his statue to be erected in the Temple of Jerusalem, according to Britannica.

His reign was cut short in 41 A.D. when the Praetorian Guard, the officials tasked with protecting the Emperor, turned against his rule and assassinated him.

The inscription on the lead pipe discovered at Piazza Pia reads “C(ai) Cæsaris Aug (usti) Germanici,” which translates to “it is therefore Caligula, son of Germanicus and Agrippina the Elder,” per the Italian Ministry of Culture.

The Ministry also stated that the garden and its association with the ancient Roman Emperor has been documented in history by 1st Century Jewish leader, philosopher, and scholar Philo, of Alexandria.

Philo wrote that Emperor Caligula had received the diplomatic minister Alexandrian Jews “in the Horti of Agrippina, in a vast garden overlooking the Tiber, separated from the river by a monumental portico,” it has been reported.

The Ministry of Culture pointed out that previous excavations in the square have revealed other lead pipes bearing inscriptions that presumably point towards Livia Drusilla, the wife of Caesar Augustus and the mother of Emperor Tiberius.

Drusilla was an influential figure in ancient Rome who often provided counsel to Emperor Augustus on matters of state. It is believed that in her schemes to secure the throne for her son Tiberius, she had many of her political rivals killed.

The latest discovery of the lead pipe inscribed with the name of Emperor Caligula coincided with the efforts to relocate the remains of an ancient Roman dry cleaning enterprise, or “fullonica” from Piazza Pia. It has been reported by Wanted in Rome that the remains will be kept on display at the grounds of Castel Sant’Angelo.

Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a ceremonial temple dating back 5,000 years beneath a sand dune in Peru following a nearly month-long excavation.

Knewz.com has learned that the archaeologists have also found the skeletal remains of three adults at the site.

The discovery was made at the Los Paredones de la Otra Banda-Las Ánimas Archaeological Complex in the Zaña Valley in Peru, where a team of archaeologists has been carrying out excavations since June 3.

The team has unearthed two archaeological sites in the region, one of which appears to be the remains of a ceremonial temple around 5,000 years old.

Dr. Luis Armando Muro, an archaeologist from the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru and the leader of the research, said in a statement shared by the Peruvian Ministry of Culture:

“We are possibly in front of a religious enclosure of five thousand years old that constitutes an architectural space defined by walls. We have what would have been a central staircase from which you would ascend to a kind of stage in the central part.” (Translated using Google Translate)

“We are still waiting for radio-carbon dating to confirm the date, but the evidence suggests this religious construction could be part of a religious tradition of temples built on Peru’s northern coast during that period,” Dr. Muro said in a separate statement, it has been reported.

The team of archaeologists found the skeletal remains of three adults between the walls and bases of the site, which Dr. Muro believes was once a multi-storied structure.

One of the skeletons was accompanied by offerings that could have originally been wrapped in cloth or linen, according to the assumptions made by the Pontifical Catholic University archaeologist.

The Peruvian Ministry of Culture noted that one of the walls of the ancient temple contains a high-relief image of an anthropomorphic figure with the body of a human and the head of a bird.

Archaeologists also found a wall covered in “fine plaster” featuring “a pictorial design” at the top of the remaining ceremonial monument.

The second archaeological site discovered by the team is also believed to be of ceremonial importance, although this structure appears to be relatively newer, dating back to somewhere between 600 and 700 A.D.

This second structure features buttresses and bases standing on a stepped platform. Archaeologists also discovered the grave of a child around five to six years of age at this site, which Dr. Muro believes belongs to the Late Moche culture.

Britannica explains that the Moche is an Andean civilization that flourished from the 1st to the 8th century A.D. on the northern coast of modern-day Peru. The ancient civilization settled along the Northern Peruvian coast from the Lambayeque River valley to the Nepeña River valley.

The ongoing research on the recently discovered archaeological sites – funded by the Pontifical Catholic University and the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) – intends to examine their “appearance, evolution and development,” and study other similar sites in the Jequetepeque and Lambayeque Valley.

The latest discovery was announced by the Ministry of Culture of Peru in a June 27 press release.