La Otra Banda is an archaeological site in northern coastal Peru where a 4,000-year-old temple and theater were discovered in June 2024 by a team of archaeologists from the Field Museum in Chicago. The site is located near the hamlet of La Otra Banda, south of the town of Zaña in the Zaña district of northwestern Peru's Lambayeque region . Excavations were led by Field Museum scientist Luis Muro Ynoñán.
The temple walls were decorated with intricate images of figures with human bodies, bird heads, and reptilian claws. Skeletal remains of three adults were found.
According to Muro Ynoñán, "This discovery tells us about the early origins of religion in Peru. We still know very little about how and under which circumstances complex belief systems emerged in the Andes, and now we have evidence about some of the earliest religious spaces that people were creating in this part of the world."
The Temple at La Otra Banda predates the Inca site at Machu Picchu by roughly 3,500 years, and was made long before the Incas or earlier peoples such as the Moche and Nazca cultures. Radio-carbon dating is pending to establish a more exact age of the construction.
Acaray Ahuila Gencha Machay Amaru Marka Wasi Arhuaturo Asana Asiru Phat'jata Aspero Auga Punta Auquilohuagra Awkin Punta Awkimarka (Apurímac) Awkimarka (Huánuco) Aya Muqu Ayamachay Ayawayq'u Azángaro Baths of Boza Bandurria Buena Vista Cahuachi Cajamarquilla Cao Viejo Carachupa Carajía Caral Caves of Sumbay Cerro Baúl Cerro Pátapo Cerro Trinidad Chacamarca Chan Chan Chanquillo Chauchilla Cemetery Chavín de Huantar Chawaytiri Cheqollo Chichakuri Chipaw Marka Choquepuquio Choquequirao Choquequirao Puquio Churajón Chuya Cochabamba Cochapata Colcampata Collor Condorcaga Cota Coca Coricancha Cumbemayo Cutimbo El Brujo El Cañoncillo El Ingenio El Paraíso Garagay Gran Pajatén Gran Vilaya Guellayhuasin Guitarrero Cave Hatun Machay Hatun Misapata Hatun Rumiyoc Hatun Uchku Hatun Usnu Hatunmarka Honcopampa Huaca de la Luna Huaca del Dragón Huaca del Sol Huaca Huallamarca Huaca Prieta Huaca Pucllana Huaca San Marcos Huaca Santa Ana Huacramarca Hualpayunca Huamanmarca, La Convención Huamboy Huankarán Huaycán de Pariachi Huánuco Pampa Huari Huayna Picchu Huayrapongo Huchuy Qosqo Huiñao Inca Uyo Incahuasi, Lima Ingatambo Inka Mach'ay Inka Raqay, Apurímac Inka Raqay, Ayacucho Inka Tampu, Huayopata Inka Tampu, Vilcabamba Inka Tunuwiri Inka Wasi, Ayacucho Inka Wasi, Huancavelica Inkapintay Inkilltambo Inti Punku Inti Watana, Ayacucho Inti Watana, Calca Inti Watana, Urubamba Intikancha Intini Uyu Pata Intipa Ñawin Intiyuq K'uchu Iskuqucha Isog Jinkiori Jisk'a Iru Muqu Kanamarka Kanichi Kenko Killa Mach'ay Killarumiyuq Kotosh Kuelap Kukuli Kuntur Wasi Kunturmarka, Ayacucho Kunturmarka, Pasco Kuntuyuq Kusichaka valley Khichuqaqa Khuchi Mach'ay K'allapayuq Urqu K'ipakhara La Otra Banda Laguna de las Momias Lauricocha Caves Layzón Llactan Llamachayuq Llamachayuq Qaqa Llamayuq Llamuqa Llaqta Qulluy, Acoria Llaqta Qulluy, Conayca Llaqta Qulluy, Tayacaja Llaqta Qulluy, Vilca Llaqtapata Machu Colca Machu Picchu Machu Pirqa Machu Pitumarka Machu Q'inti Mallkuamaya Mameria Maray Qalla Marayniyoq Marcahuamachuco Markahirka Markansaya Markapukyu Marpa Mawk'allaqta, Castilla Mawk'allaqta, Espinar Mawk'allaqta, La Unión Mawk'allaqta, Melgar Mawk'allaqta, Paruro Mawk'allaqta, Sandia Mawk'ataray Mazur Miculla Millka Miraflores Mirq'imarka Miyu Pampa Molloko Moray Mulinuyuq Mullu Q'awa Muyu Muyu Muyu Urqu Muyuq Marka Nazca Lines Nina Kiru Ninamarca Ñawpallaqta, Huanca Sancos Ñawpallaqta, Fajardo Ñawpallaqta, Lucanas Ñusta Hispana Ollantaytambo Pacatnamu Pachacamac Pachatusan Paiján Pañamarca Paracas Candelabra Paraccra Patallaqta Pikillaqta Pikimach'ay Pilluchu Pinkuylluna Pirca Pirca, La Libertad Pirca Pirca, Lima Pirhuaylla Piruro Pirwayuq Písac Puka Pukara Puka Tampu Puka Urqu Pukara, Coporaque Pukara, Fajardo Pukara, Puno Pukara, Vilcas Huamán Pukarani Pumamarka, San Sebastián Pumamarka, Urubamba Pumaq Hirka Pumawasi Punkuri Puqin Kancha Puruchuco Purunllacta, Cheto Purunllacta, Soloco Pusharo Pusuquy Pata Puyupatamarca Qaqapatan Qenko Qillqatani Qillqa Qillqay Mach'ay Quiaca Quillarumi Quishuar Qullqapampa Qulu Qulu Qunchamarka Qunchupata Quri Winchus Qurimarka, Apurímac Qurimarka, Cusco Quriwayrachina, Anta Quriwayrachina, Ayacucho Quriwayrachina, La Convención Qasa Pata Qhapaq Kancha Raqch'i Revash Rumicolca Rumiwasi Runayoc Runkuraqay Sacsayhuamán Sara Sara Sayacmarca Sayhuite Sechín Sillustani Sipán Sóndor Soro Mik'aya Patjxa Susupillu Tambo Totem Tambomachay Tampu Mach'ay, Huancavelica Tampukancha Tanqa Tanqa Tantarica Taqrachullu Tarahuasi Tarmatambo Templo del Zorro The Toads of Wiraqucha Tikra Tinyaq Tipón Titiqaqa Toquepala Caves Toro Muerto Trinchera Túcume Tunanmarca Tunay Q'asa Tupu Inka T'akaq T'uqu T'uquyuq Uchkus Inkañan Urpish Uskallaqta Usnu, Ayacucho Usnu, Huánuco Usnu Muqu Usqunta Uyu Uyu Venado cautivo Ventanillas de Otuzco Ventarron Vilcabamba Vilcashuamán Viracochapampa Vitcos Waman Pirqa Wamanilla Wamanmarka, Chumbivilcas Wamanmarka, Lima Wanakawri, Cusco Wanakawri, Huánuco Waqlamarka Waqra Pukara Waqutu Warahirka Waraqayuq Waraqu Urqu Warawtampu Wari Willka Waruq Wat'a, Cusco Wat'a, Huánuco Wayna Q'inti Wayna Tawqaray Wichama Wichqana Wich'un Wila Wilani Wilca Wilcahuaín Willkaraqay Wiñay Wayna Wiraqucha Pirqa Yanaca Yanaqi - Qillqamarka Yaynu Yuraq Mach'ay