Las Haldas

Las Haldas is a large archaeological complex on the Pacific coast of Peru, approximately 300 km north of Lima and 20 km south of the Casma River valley. Dating to the Initial Ceramic Period (1800-1000 BCE), it features a stepped pyramid, three plazas, smaller mounds, and sunken courts along a linear axis. The site is notable for its complete dependence on maritime resources, lack of agriculture, and distance from fresh water, making it one of the earliest ceramic-period ruins and a key example supporting the maritime foundations theory of Andean civilization.