Andean civilizations

Long ago, many people lived in the Andes.

They lived in high mountains and dry deserts. These people grew many kinds of food. They grew potatoes and peanuts and even chocolate.

They did not have a way to write. Instead, they used knotted strings called a quipu.

These strings helped them keep track of things. They also used llamas to carry their goods.

Later, the Inca built a very large empire. They built long roads and big cities. These people were very smart and strong.

Long ago, many groups lived in the Andes. This area has high mountains and dry deserts.

These people made their own way of life. Scholars call them a "pristine" civilization. This means they grew on their own. They did not learn from other groups.

The Norte Chico was the oldest group. They lived in Peru a very long time ago. Later, many other groups grew. They made art and built large centers. Some people made huge lines in the desert.

Life was hard in the mountains. People had to find ways to grow food. They built stone steps called terraces on hills.

They grew many plants like potatoes and peppers. They also grew peanuts and chocolate.

These people did not use a written language. Instead, they used a quipu. A quipu is a set of knotted strings.

They also used llamas to carry heavy loads. Later, the Inca built a massive empire. They ruled from the city of Cusco. They built a very long road system.

The Andean civilizations were complex societies in South America. They lived along the long spine of the Andes mountains. Their lands stretched from southern Colombia down to Chile and Argentina. These people lived in many different places. Some lived in dry coastal deserts. Others lived high up in the cold mountains.

Scholars call these groups a "pristine" civilization. This means they developed on their own. They did not learn these ideas from other outside groups.

Life in the Andes was a hard job. The mountains were steep and the air was thin. The coastal areas were very dry deserts. To grow food, people had to be very smart. They built stone steps called terraces on hillsides. They also used irrigation to move water to their crops.

They grew about 70 different kinds of plants. Some of these were potatoes, peppers, and peanuts. They even grew chocolate and coca.

These civilizations started a very long time ago. The oldest group was the Norte Chico in coastal Peru. They lived there around 3500 BCE. This was around the same time as the Egyptian pyramids.

Later, many other groups grew in the region. The Chavín culture lived from 900 BCE to 200 BCE. The Nazca culture lived from 200 BCE to 800 CE. These people made amazing art and large buildings.

Andean people had unique ways of doing things. They did not have a written language with symbols. Instead, they used a quipu to keep track of information. A quipu is a system of colored, knotted strings.

They also did not use wheeled vehicles or money. To move goods, they used people or llamas. Llamas are pack animals that carry heavy loads.

People lived in a patchwork of many different cultures and languages.

Near the end of this time, the Incas arrived. They started in the city of Cusco around 1230. In 1438, they built a huge empire called Tahuantinsuyu. It was the largest empire the Americas had ever seen.

The Inca built a very long road system. They ruled many different groups under one empire. Later, Spanish explorers arrived in the 16th century. This changed the religion and buildings of the Andes forever.

The Andean civilizations were complex societies located in South America. They occupied the long spine of the Andes mountains. Their territory stretched from southern Colombia to Ecuador and Peru. It also included coastal Peru, northern Chile, and northwest Argentina.

Scholars classify these societies as "pristine" civilizations. This term means they developed independently. They were not derived from external influences or other civilizations. Some scholars identify six or seven such pristine civilizations worldwide. The Andean groups are among the most significant.

These societies developed through various distinct stages. The earliest settlement evidence dates to approximately 15,000 BCE during the Lithic Period. This followed the arrival of humans via the Isthmus of Panama. Later, the Andean preceramic period saw the rise of the first complex society. The Norte Chico civilization, also known as Caral, flourished from 3500 BCE to 1800 BCE.

This was followed by the Ceramic Period. During this time, many distinct cultures emerged. These included the Chavín culture (900 BCE to 200 BCE) and the Paracas culture (800 BCE to 200 BCE). The Nazca culture followed from 200 BCE to 800 CE.

Other major groups included the Moche, the Wari and Tiwanaku empires, and the Chimor.

Environmental challenges required unique technological solutions. The coastal regions were hyper-arid deserts. Agriculture there relied on irrigation from rivers flowing from the Andes. Some farming occurred in fog oases called lomas. In the mountains, the terrain was steep and the climate was cold. Farmers faced thin soils and low precipitation.

To manage this, they built agricultural terraces called andenes. They also used microclimates and selective breeding. Some societies used a "vertical archipelago" system. This involved establishing colonies at different elevations to ensure agricultural success.

Andean agriculture had a massive global impact. These people domesticated an estimated 70 different plants. This number is nearly as high as the plants cultivated in all of Europe and Asia combined. They grew crops like maize, which arrived from Mexico. They also domesticated potatoes, peppers, peanuts, manioc, chocolate, and coca. Other important crops included quinoa, tomatoes, cotton, tobacco, and pineapples. For animals, they domesticated llamas and guinea pigs. Llamas served as vital pack animals. They could carry loads up to one-fourth of their own weight. However, llamas were not used for plowing or riding.

Societal structures in the Andes were quite different from Old World civilizations. They lacked a written language based on symbols. Instead, they used the quipu to convey information. A quipu is a system of colored, knotted strings.

Scholars debate if quipus recorded only numbers or also narrative stories. They also lacked wheeled vehicles and draft animals. Transport relied on human labor or llamas. Furthermore, most Andean economies did not use money. While copper axe-monies called "naipes" were used in coastal Ecuador, most areas used reciprocity and redistribution.

The Inca Empire represented the peak of Andean political unity. The Inca rose from the Kingdom of Cuzco, founded around 1230. In 1438, they established the empire known as Tahuantinsuyu. This was the largest empire the Americas had ever seen.

The Inca ruled from their capital in Cusco. They managed a vast patchwork of different languages and cultures. They maintained an extensive road system to connect their territories. This empire encompassed nearly all of the known Andean civilization.

The era of indigenous dominance changed in the 16th century. Spanish colonizers arrived from Europe. They eventually subjugated the indigenous kingdoms. This incorporated the Andean region into the Spanish Empire. Spanish rule transformed many elements of the culture. It notably influenced local religion and architecture. Despite these changes, the legacy of the Andean people remains visible in their agriculture and monumental structures.