Peruvian archaeologists have found a 4,000-year-old temple in the Miraflores archaeological site located in western Peru, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (UNSM) announced on Friday.

Key points:

• A chacana, an ancient cross symbol, was found carved into the temple
• Experts believe the temple was used for religious ceremonies
• The discovery evidences the importance of the chacana symbol in ancient Peruvian cultures

Experts believe people carried out religious ceremonies in the U-shaped temple.

UNSM archaeologists also found a chacana, an ancient cross symbol, carved into a frieze.

"This chacana or southern cross is the oldest complete representation that has been found in the Andes," said archaeologist Pieter Van Dalen.

He said the temple located in the lower valley of the Chancay River was where they carried out excavations and discovered the architecture that formed part of the temple.

The temple was located in the lower valley of the Chancay River.(Reuters: Sebastian Castaneda)

"We have also identified a series of religious cult activities that took place inside this pyramidal structure and we have been able to identify, on the back wall structure, the representation of a chacana carved in a frieze," he said. 

Mr Van Dalen said the discovery of this carving evidences the importance of the chacana symbol in ancient Peruvian cultures.

"It evidences the long cultural and religious tradition related to this symbol that developed from as early as 4,000 years ago up to the Inca period in a continuous way.”

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