Over the last 20 years or so, information about the pre-ceramic cultures of South America, particularly monumental earthen mounds located near Peru's arid coasts such as Caral and Huaca Prieta, have been studied in greater detail.
Monumental Earthen Architecture at Caral. Photo by Kyle Thayer.
Although Huaca Prieta ("Dark Earth Temple") was excavated by Junius Bird in the 1940s, it is only recently that extensive excavations have been able to reveal the startling level of complexity and age of these coastal cultures. As reported in a March 2012 article in the journal Antiquity, mound building began at Huaca Prieta between 7500 and 6500 calendar years ago...
- Read more about Huaca Prieta
- Read more about Preceramic Andes
Dillehay TD, Bonavia D, Goodbred S, Pino M, Vasquez V, Rosales Tham T, Conklin W, Splitstoser J, Piperno DR, Iriarte J et al. 2012. Chronology, mound-building and environment at Huaca Prieta, coastal Peru, from 13,700 to 4000 years ago Antiquity 85(331):48-70. Also see the free-access Project Gallery at Antiquity.
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