Excavations at a high-altitude ceremonial complex in the Peruvian Andes have revealed a series of "star-aligned" hearth pits used for massive communal cooking during the June solstice. The site, dating back to 500 BC, features stone-lined fire pits arranged in a pattern that mirrors the Pleiades star cluster, which ancient cultures used to signal the start of the agricultural new year.
Archaeologists found charred remains of highland grains and tubers, suggesting these pits were the center of a multi-day culinary festival. The precision of the alignment indicates that the movement of celestial bodies was deeply integrated into the ritual and social calendar of these early mountain communities, providing a precursor to later Inca solstice celebrations.