These holes at Monte Sierpe in Peru may once have held crops, goods and tribute, a new study suggests. (Image credit: C. Stanish; Antiquity Publications Ltd; CC BY 4.0)

Peru’s Mysterious “Band of Holes” May Have Been Ancient Marketplace and Accounting System

A decades-old archaeological puzzle in Peru’s Pisco Valley may finally have an answer. More than 5,200 circular depressions carved into the hillsides of Monte Sierpe have baffled scientists since aerial photographs revealed their existence in 1933. Advanced drone mapping and soil analysis now point to a surprising dual purpose: an ancient trading hub that imperial