The archaeology of the Late Preceramic (3500–1800 b.c.) and Initial Periods (1800–800 b.c.) on the north coast of Peru is focused on monumental ceremonial buildings and little attention has been paid to small residential settlements. Here, I introduce the excavations carried out at Gramalote, a fishing settlement that was interpreted as a specialized producer of seafood with a narrow range of non-subsistence activities. Current data support a broader view of fishing communities during the second millennium b.c. in northern Peru. In this view, the discovery of a ceremonial facility at the Gramalote site opens a discussion about the role of community-level ceremonies and how these local practices are related to those at religious monumental centers of the same period.