New research proposes a new theory for a perplexing monument in South America.
In South America, a mysterious monument stretches almost a mile (1.5 kilometers) through the southern Peruvian Andes. Called Monte Sierpe, meaning serpent mountain, it consists of rows of around 5,200 aligned holes, and researchers have put forth a new theory for what they may have been.
In a study published today in the journal Antiquity, an international team of researchers conducted sediment analysis and took drone photography of Monte Sierpe. Their results suggest that the monument, also known as “Band of Holes,” was used by indigenous peoples in accounting and trade.
“Hypotheses regarding Monte Sierpe’s purpose range from defence, storage, and accounting to water collection, fog capture, and gardening,” Jacob Bongers, an archaeologist from the University of Sydney and lead author of the study, says in an Antiquity statement. “The function of the site remains unclear.”Corn-filled holes
The holes are arranged into sections, and each hole is 3.
