Cerro Sechín

Early excavations at the ceremonial site uncovered 98 carved stone slabs along the outer wall of one building. The carvings date to 1770–1510 BCE and depict combat rituals as well as human sacrifice. Further studies determined that the site is made up of six structures that were part of a later complex that surrounded earlier earthen structures. 

Polychrome wall paintings dated between 2290 and 2020 BCE have been found on the surface of older earthen structures and depict stylized figures of felines, an animal revered in Peru’s Formative period (2000–200 BCE). In total, over 300 carved stone slabs have been uncovered at Cerro Sechín, representing one of the earliest ornamented sites in the Americas. Some of its iconography is used in the decoration of the main public buildings and plazas in the city of Casma.

Despite receiving over 17,000 visitors each year, the stone slabs at the archaeological site have not been treated since their excavation and restoration for public appreciation in the 1980s. As a result, the unique monoliths suffer from cracking and erosion due to exposure to the elements and seismic activity. Cerro Sechín was included in the 2014 World Monuments Watch to encourage action for the conservation and management of the site.

In 2020, WMF supported a condition assessment of the stone slabs. As expected, the study concluded that the slabs, especially on the east and west sides of the site, faced irreversible losses without immediate intervention.

In September 2021, the U.S. Embassy in Peru announced that Cerro Sechín had been awarded a grant from the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), which allowed for conservation interventions—such as the cleaning, stabilization, and consolidation of the stone slabs. 

The project built the capacity of community members and local residents in monitoring and maintenance techniques, as well as introduced workshops in pottery and stone carving aimed at engaging nearby communities in the long-term preservation of the site. The project has also produced a three-dimensional model of the site as a record of the conservation procedures.