A mile-long stretch of mysterious holes carved into the Peruvian Andes may have finally given up some of its secrets. New research suggests the so-called Band of Holes—a monument comprised of around 5,200 indentations on Monte Sierpe, or "Serpent Mountain"—was likely used as a marketplace by the pre-Inca Chincha Kingdom and later adapted by the Inca Empire as a site for accounting, reports Live Science. The holes, each measuring between 3 and 6 feet across and up to 3 feet deep, are arranged in an orderly grid. Using drone technology, researchers uncovered mathematical patterns in their layout, which resemble traditional Andean methods for record-keeping.
The site, first documented in the 1930s, has seen little investigation until now, partly because its remote location has kept it safe from development. The new study, published in Antiquity, involved detailed aerial surveys and analysis of plant remains found inside the holes. Researchers detected maize pollen—unlikely to have arrived naturally—as well as bulrush pollen, hinting that goods were deliberately placed inside the holes, possibly in bulrush baskets. According to study co-author Jacob Bongers, a digital archaeologist at the University of Sydney, this supports the idea that the site functioned as a market or a place for storing tribute.
The Band of Holes sits near ancient roads and a defensive settlement, adding weight to the theory that it was a hub for community interaction and trade. While other explanations for the holes have included water collection or gardening, researchers believe the Band of Holes was essentially an ancient flea market, perhaps adapted by the Inca as an accounting and tribute system used to manage resources across an empire, per a release. The study authors note the arrangement of the holes is reminiscent of the Incan khipu, a knotted cord device used for record-keeping. They say slight differences in the number of holes per block may indicate varying tribute requirements from local communities.
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