The cleaning project quickly morphed into an archaeological survey after the team found a row of distinctive bricks.

Caral sits in the Supe Valley, a region of Peru's high desert nestled between the rainforest, mountains and the Pacific coast. The valley is brimming with ancient monumental architecture.

A multidisciplinary research team in the Archaeology Zone in Chupacigarro, Peru, discovered an ancient pyramidal structure.

A reconstruction of the ancient pyramid-like structure and map of its location at Chupacigarro archaeological site. Photo from Caral Archaeological Zone, Executive Unit 003 of Peru's Ministry of ...