Pre-Incan Civilizations

Pre-Incan Civilizations Pre Inca Civilizations, a long line of indigenous civilizations flourished in Peru, and today we can see much evidence and many visitors can see what they left behind, from mysterious geoglyphs in the desert to fortress-like constructions in the cloud forest and a huge adobe pyramid in one of the most modern areas of Lima – Peru.

neighborhoods Discover the vestiges of the ancient cultures of Peru with these suggestions.

Caral – Supe – (Between 3000 and 1600 BC).

Caral – Supe It is located on the coast 200 km (124 miles) north of Lima. Caral was the first ancient civilization in America, constituted by a structured and organized society.

Archaeologists know little about this culture currently under study, other than that it was a gentile, religious, and agricultural civilization. The city of Caral is open to the public since 2006.

Tiahuanaco or Tiwanaku (Between 1500 BC and 1200 AD).

Tiahuanaco or Tiwanaku It is the pre Inca civilization is one of the most important of the Altiplano in southern Peru and Bolivia. The most important archaeological remains are found in the urban center and also the religious capital, located in the part of Bolivia 20 km (12 miles) south of Lake Titicaca.

The Tiwanaku Culture specialized in high altitude agriculture (4,000 m / 13,000 ft asl), such as potatoes, quinoa, oca, etc. To cope with the extreme climate of this altitude, Tiahuanaku developed the ingenious “waru waru” high terrace fields surrounded by canals for two purposes:

prevent flooding and create a microclimate by filling the channels with water that is heated by the sun during the day to return this heat at night and avoid frost. The Tiwanaku were also great builders and their stone temples inspired the Incas who were later significantly improved and perfected in their masonry.

Chavín de Huántar (Between 1,000 and 200 BC.).

The Ancash region is known for its impressive landscapes and its famous hike in the Cordillera Huayhuash in Peru around Huaraz. But the peaceful town of Chavín de Huántar in Peru contains the key vestiges of one of the most ancient and important cultures of Peru.

(The archaeological site, like the town, is known as Chavín de Huántar.) The Chavín period lasted from approximately 1200 B.C. C. until 500 a. c.

The Chavín culture was one of the first on the continent with a sophisticated art style, evidenced in the famous stone heads that are mainly exhibited in the Chavín National Museum on the site. Wander the labyrinthine passageways of the ruins to the centrally located Lanzón de Chavín, an impressive block of carved stone nearly 15 feet tall.

Wari Culture.

Wari Culture The Wari people, also known as the Huari, occupied the southern central Andes and coastal regions of Peru from 500 AD. until 1000 AD Unlike the more contained Moche and Chimú cultures, the Huari managed to expand and cover much more territory along the Peru, a feat archaeologists attribute to a combination of warfare, religious expansion and the spread of their agricultural techniques.

Its capital was located north of Ayacucho (Peru) and its well-preserved remains are the end point of a popular eight-day hike along the Camino de los Cactus.

Moche o Mochica (Entre 300 a.C. y 800 d.C.).

Moche o Mochica The Moche culture were considered to be the best potters of ancient Peru. Their ceramics represented divinities, men, animals, plants and scenes of life with extraordinary realism, including erotic figurines (huacos eroticos), the Peruvian kamasutra.

The Moche were also excellent farmers, developing ingenious irrigation canals in the desert. His biggest constructions were the impressive temples of Huaca del Sol and Huaca de la Luna (near the city of Trujillo – Peru).

Nasca or Nazca (Between 100 and 650 AC).

Nasca or Nazca The Nazca culture developed in the Ica Valley in Peru. Picking up where the Paracas had left off before them, they were skilled artisans and produced highly refined and intricate textiles and ceramics, using at least 15 different colors to paint their pottery.

Like the Paracas culture, they also practiced fishing, supplementing their food source by raising llamas and growing crops such as corn, squash, and sweet potatoes, all mainstays of today’s Peruvian agriculture.

The people of the Nazca culture also built underground aqueduct systems that still function today, a testament to their enduring quality, and used coca and the hallucinogenic San Pedro cactus for spiritual ceremonies.

We cannot fail to mention the Nazca Culture that one of their greatest works is the iconic memory they left the world: the Nazca Lines. This series of engravings in the Nazca desert is a world famous attraction listed by UNESCO, although the purpose behind them still causes many doubts among experts.

To learn more about Peru’s fascinating early civilizations and to explore Peru tour options, contact one of our expert travel advisors.