A team of international archaeologists has uncovered a ceremonial center in the Lambayeque region of Peru, dubbed the Temple of the Jaguar-Priestess. Dating back 2,500 years, the site is distinguished by its turquoise-inlaid stucco reliefs, which depict a female figure with feline attributes presiding over agricultural rituals.
The temple includes a series of private ritual chambers and a central platform constructed from sun-dried adobes. The use of turquoise, a high-status material traded from great distances, suggests that this sanctuary was a major pilgrimage site for the Cupisnique culture before the rise of the Moche civilization.