Peru's Ancient Civilizations

It's a common question after a few days of exploring the extensive archaeological sites in the north. So many different civilizations were emerging, overlapping, and converging in coastal Peru, it can be difficult to keep track of them all.

Chavín: One of the earliest major cultures in the region was the cat-worshipping Chavín (900-200 BC). Described as the "mother culture of the Andes" by the great Peruvian archaeologist Julio Tello, this civilization stretched through much of Peru's Northern Highlands, as well as along the northern and central coasts. Artifacts dating from 850 BC tell us that the Chavín people were excellent artisans, and their pottery, with its squat stirrup vessels, can be seen in the museums of Trujillo and Lima.

Moche: About 200 years after the Chavín culture's demise, a highly advanced civilization called the Moche emerged. It was their carefully planned irrigation systems, still in use today, that turned the northern desert into productive agricultural land. Their fine ceramics and large pyramids, still standing near present-day Trujillo and Chiclayo, give us insight into their architectural advances and daily lives. A consistent theme of their art is the ritual combat between captives, followed by elaborate bloodletting ceremonies. Despite voracious huaqueros, or looters, the tomb of the Lord of Sipán was still largely intact when it was unearthed in 1987, revealing precious insights into this complex culture.

Chimú to Inca: The Chimú came on the scene around AD 850. They continued to conquer and expand until around 1470, when they, like most others in the area, were assimilated by the huge Inca Empire. The awe-inspiring city of Chan Chan, built by the Chimú, sits near present-day Trujillo. Meanwhile, although the Inca center of power lay farther south, in the Cusco–Machu Picchu area, its cultural influence stretched far beyond Peru's northern borders. When Francisco Pizarro, the Spanish pig-farmer-turned-conquistador, first landed near present-day Tumbes in 1532, his greed was inflamed by glimpes of the riches of this largest of New World empires.