High Energy Generation and Elevated Temperature Potential of an Archaic Furnace in Ancient Peru

Summary

We present an aerodynamic and thermal study of the architectonic complex including a fire pit (locally named Fogon Mayor) on top of the largest pyramid in Caral, a society that flourished between 2627 and 2020 cal B.C. near the Pacific coast of present day Peru.The air flow produced by wind on the corridor and ducts feeding the fogon was estimated by various engineering approaches that agreed (within 7-18%) with calculations obtained by fluid-dynamics-modeling of the whole pyramid. Results were validated by measuring wind gradient along the pyramid in Caral and by testing a scale model of the complex in a wind tunnel.The air flow produced by wind harnessed in the corridor and ducts was in remarkable agreement with the required for complete combustion of wood loads in the fogon. Thermal analysis indicates that after reaching steady state, combustion in the fogon would have produced between 95 KW and 350 KW at an operational temperature above 1120oC and likely between 1180 and 1350oC. This temperature range was confirmed by nondestructive spectrographic analysis of ancient burn samples in the walls of the fogon. The remarkable sophistication of the complex will be discussed from an engineering perspective.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 18773