Chronological events in the history of Peru.
B.C
7500 – First identifiable villages built in Peru. Nomads became sedentary as they discover agriculture.
ca 1200  -  , the first culture developed in Peru. The people of Chavin built one of Peru’s earlier temples in Chavin de Huantar.
ca 200  – The thrived in the Nazca Valley.  Nazca are best known for its lines and drawings of animals, know as the , which cover a large area of the desert outside the towns of Nazca and Palpa.
ca 100  – The flourished in the north …

There were many pre-Columbian cultures that preceded the , some  by  millenia.  What we know of these pre-Inca civilizations is entirely from archeological excavations since they did not make use of a written language. Archeologists had deduce historical information from tools, art and buildings and interpret the decoration found on pottery and textile to understand their way of life. Pieces of Pre-Inca and Inca art are displayed in Peru’s archeological museums.
 

The first known city was the city of Caral located in the Supe Valley 200 km north of Lima, it …

Long before existed people thrived in this territory. About 16,000 years ago groups of people are believed to have crossed the Bering Strait from Asia and survived as nomads, hunting, gathering fruits and vegetables and fishing in the sea, rivers and lakes.
Pre-Ceramic Period  – 8000-1850 BCE
Evidence of cultures from this period have been found in the . Hunting tools dating back 11,000 years have been found in the in caves in Pachacamac, Telarmachay, Junin, Lauricocha and Toquepala. During this period the inhabitants of learned how to domesticate . …

Early Horizon – 800 – 200 BCE
Chavin: Great Astronomers
More than 3000 years ago an important civilization took place in Chavin de Huantar, southeast of the . It stretched through the north and central highlands and along . They built large temples, the largest early buildings in Peru, which allowed them to observe the stars and the movement of the sun and the moon therefore predicting climatic changes that benefited agriculture. Those in charge of the temples were priests also know as shamans. They occupied the top of the social hierarchy …

Cultures thriving in this period date from approximately 200BCE to 600CE. Significant technological development took place in metalworking, pottery and irrigation systems. The two largest and most important cultures in this period are the Nazca and the Mochica or Moche cultures.
Nazca: In search of water
The members of the Nazca culture lived in the Nazca Valley, 250 miles or 400 km south of Lima between 100BC to 800AD. They were experts at turning desert land into arable land and were continuously searching for water. They dug underground, filtered the water and …

The Middle Horizon period extends from approximately 600 to 1000. were debilitated possibly by the effects of El Niño. As a result new cultures took over and flourished creating the first Andean Empire that extended from Cajamarca in the north to northern Bolivia and Argentina in the south.
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Wari: Great Urbanizers
It developed between 550-900 in Ayacucho in the . It was the Wari who consolidated the construction of urban cities in the territory. The city was not only a place of residence but also a place of work; …

The Late Intermediate Period extends from approximately 1000 to 1470. This period is characterized for the rapid artistic and technological development of its metallurgic and crafts production. In their craft production they used semiprecious stones such as turquoise and emeralds, wood, sea shells, textiles and pottery and exported it to the different regions of ancient Peru.
Chimu and the great city of Chan Chan
Around the year 1000 the Chimu absorbed the Wari and Lambayeque or Sican cultures becoming the largest empire in Peru. It extended through the …

Understanding the Inca Civilization is not an easy task. Since they did not have a written language they did not leave a written record of their history which has been passed on orally from generation to generation in the form of myths and legends. The history of the Incas is endlessly fascinating. What we know from the Inca Civilization and how they lived is from discoveries made by archeologists. Inca artifacts, tools, textiles, pottery and art have help archeologist understand their culture and how it impacts modern Andean society in …

The Inca emperors ruled an enormous empire they called Tawantinsuyu or the Land of the Four Quarters with as its capital. The Incas conquered a vast territory using reciprocity or alliances. Once the Incas arrived in a new region they tried to establish a relationship with the tribe’s head. He offered gifts such as wool clothing, coca leaves and mullu (shell believed to be food for the Gods). If the gifts were accepted they also accepted the Inca’s authority. To consolidate this alliance they established family ties. If they …

The economic success of the Inca Empire was in the efficient management of labor and the administration of resources they collected as tribute.  Collective labor was the base for economic productivity and for the creation of social wealth in the . By working together people in the created such wealth that the Spanish were astonished with what they encountered. Every citizen was required to contribute with his labor and refusal or laziness was with the death penalty.
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Collective labor and tribute
There were three ways in which collective labor was …