The ruins of an entire city have been found in northern Peru which could provide the 'missing link' between two ancient cultures, researchers have said.
Researchers digging at the Cerro Patapo archaeological site made the discovery 14 miles (22km) from the Pacific coast city of Chiclayo.
They say the ruins likely date back to the Wari culture, which existed in what is now Peru between about 600 AD and 1100 AD.
If initial assumptions prove correct, the discovery would connect the ancient Wari civilization to the Moche culture, which flourished from about 100 AD to 600 AD.
The buried city includes ceramics, bits of clothing and the well-preserved remains of a young woman.
The sprawling site, which stretches over 3 miles (5km), contained cells and rooms that were used for human sacrifice.
A team led by the project's chief archaeologist Cesar Soriano, discovered special spots designated for the act of killing and a heap of bones at the bottom of a nearby cliff, an indication that the victims were thrown to their deaths.
'It provides the missing link because it explains how the Wari people allowed for the continuation of culture after the Moche,' Soriano told Reuters.
He said the discovery provides the first evidence of Wari culture, which expanded from the country's south, at the northern site.
The Wari people lived and ruled for 500 years and made their capital near modern-day Ayacucho, in the Andes, but travelled widely and are known for their extensive network of roads. They conducted multiple burials and sent their loved ones into the afterlife with provisions and tools of their trade.
The discovery appears to back-up historical comment that believed the Wari people produced strong, well-built stone buildings.
The structure of the buildings were often made up of vast rectangular enclosures laid out in strict patterns. They were also designed to be earthquake resistant.
Earlier this year, archaeologists at the Huaca Pucllana ruins in Lima, located some 500 miles (800km) south of Chiclayo, discovered a mummy that is also thought to be Wari.
The mummy - named Lady of the Mask - was assumed to be a noblewoman and was found in a crouching position surrounded by ceramics and textiles.
Peru is a country rich in archaeological treasures and has hundreds of sites that date back thousands of years and span dozens of cultures.
These include the Incan empire that was in power when Spanish explorers arrived in the early 1500s.
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