Casma

Casma is a city in the coastal desert of Peru, located 330 kilometers (205 mi) northwest of Lima. It is the capital of the province of Casma and the third most populous city in the Ancash Region with an estimated population of 29,343 (2015). It is located in the lower Casma Valley, covering an area of 1,205 km. The name of the city may derive from the extinct Quingman language. Santa Maria Magdalena is the city's patron saint, whose day is celebrated on 22 July. Some of the largest prehistoric monuments around the world are situated around the city, in the Casma and Sechin valleys. These include Sechin, Chanquillo, Mojeque and Las Aldas. The nearby Pacific coastline boasts beaches such as La Gramita, El Litro, Punta el Huaro and Tortugas. In February 2008, German and Peruvian archeologists working at Sechin Bajo uncovered a stone and adobe ceremonial plaza which they dated to 5,500 years ago. This makes it the oldest known monument in Peru and one of the oldest structures ever found in the Americas.