Archaeology in Peru

Peru was the seat of many ancient civilizations that were developed all over its broad territory; that condition makes it as the target of hundreds of expeditions for exploring, studying or simply admiring the works of ancient Peruvians. The oldest remains of the Peruvian man were found by Pacaicasa, near Ayacucho, he lived around 18 to 20 thousand years BC. The men of Chilca in the southern Peruvian coast were the first farmers around 9000 BC.

 

 

The most developed civilizations began with Chavin de Huantar in the present day Ancash area. Later the Paracas civilization in the southern coast of Peru had excellent weavers that left works that are admired all over the world. The Nazca culture left many material remains of their development and specially the famous and enigmatic Nazca Lines that can be fully appreciated only flying in an airplane. The Tiahuanaco civilization was developed in the Altiplano that is today shared by Peru and Bolivia. The Mochicas in present day Lambayeque were great artisans that left such amount of ceramic that graphically represents all the aspects of their daily life; besides, in the last decades archaeologists found remains of their material achievements such as the Lord of Sipan. The Chimu civilization was developed also in the northern coast and produced excellent pieces of metallurgy with such advanced techniques that are still an enigma for science. The Wari Culture was developed around present day Ayacucho, and was a really powerful military nation for its time. There were also dozens of other less known civilizations all over the country.

 

Finally the Inkas took all the technology and knowledge possessed until that time in order to form one of the most advanced and powerful civilizations in the pre-Columbian American Continent. They were formed by 1200 AC and were conquered by the Spaniards in 1532. The Inkas were developed in a really broad territory covering what today is Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, the southern part of Colombia, and the northern part of Chile and Argentina; a territory of more than 3'000,000 sq. Km. The Inkan material achievements are found all over the country and are really extensive including pottery, metallurgy, stone carving, architecture, city planning, etc.