The ruins of Caral-Supe, commonly referred to as Caral, are located in the Supe Valley of Peru, a short distance from the present-day town of Caral, north of Lima and 350 m above sea level. This ancient city is thought to be around 5000 years old, making it the oldest in the Americas, and one of the oldest in the world. It is unique for its monumental buildings and its diverse ceremonial and administrative functions, and has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The Caral civilization flourished between 3000 and 1800 B.C., more than 1500 years before the Olmecs, the first complex society in Mesoamerica.