Peruvian archaeologists have made the most exciting find in the country for a generation. They have confirmed the discovery of two 3,000-year-old temples in the Collud-Zarpan complex, some 500 miles north of the capital Lima. The two structures formed part of a large ceremonial area that belonged to the Cupisnique culture, according to Peruvian archaeologist Walter Alva.
     He said: "We have here a monumental staircase of 25m in width. The rest is a polychromatic relief with images of the spider god, and we also have a part behind of what would be a temple that extended at least 500m south." The archaeologist said the discovery ranks as one of Peru's most important religious finds and could reveal important information about the influence of Cupisnique culture. The news comes as government officials considering giving some £350,000 worth of funding to reopen excavation at the site, which closed down last year due to lack of money.

Source: ITN (21 October 2008)