One of Peru’s granddaddy archaeological sites, Sechín is located 5km southeast of Casma and dates from about 1600 BC. It is among the more important and well-preserved ruins along this coast, though it has suffered some damage from grave robbers and natural disasters.
The warlike people who built this temple remain shrouded in mystery. The site consists of three exterior walls of the main temple, which are completely covered in gruesome, 4m-high bas-relief carvings of warriors and captives being vividly eviscerated. Ouch! Inside the main temple are earlier mud structures that are still being excavated: you can’t go in, but there is a model in the small on-site museum. Stop by the museum first if you’re in need of a guide, as you may be able to hire a Spanish-speaking caretaker for S30.
To get here, a mototaxi (three-wheeled motorcycle rickshaw taxi) from Casma costs around S2 each way, or S6 round trip if you want your driver to hang around.
Other early sites in the Sechín area have not been excavated due to a lack of funds. From the museum you can see the large, flat-topped hill of Sechín Alto in the distance. The nearby fortress of Chanquillo consists of several towers surrounded by concentric walls, but it is best appreciated from the air. Aerial photographs are on display at the museum.