Who were the first inhabitants of Peru?

The First settlers of Peru Were hunters and gatherers who arrived in this territory of Latin America more than 20,000 years ago.

They used earth tools and lived on land and fruit. Some of them settled in Paccaicasa, in what is known today as the province of Ayacucho (Perutravels.net, 2014).

Illustration of Riou published in Le Tour de Monde, Paris, 1864.

The oldest archaeological remains of these inhabitants date from 7000 BC, and their facial features are wide and the shape of their heads is pointed. These remains indicate that they were people of 1.6 meters in height.

The first settlers of Peru left paintings in the caves of Toquepala, in the department of Tacna. It is estimated that these paintings can be from the year 7,600 BC. Houses have also been found in Chilca, Lima, dating from 5,800 BC.

These early settlers were responsible for the domestication of plants that are now consumed popularly. In this way, they were in charge of organizing agricultural work and building houses, villas and ceremonial temples (Kalman & Everts, 2003).

To the extent that regional cultures were gradually integrated, new manual techniques were born. This is how the manufacture of fabrics, metallurgy and jewelry appeared, giving way to the growth and development of more advanced cultures (Peru the land of the incas, 2007).

Pre-Inca Cultures

For more than 1,400 years, pre-Inca cultures settled along the coast and sierra of Peru. The priority and distinctive mark of power of these cultures was the possession of huge portions of land. The smaller territories gave rise to smaller civilizations and regional centers with less power (Stanford, 2004).

The members of these cultures stood out as craftsmen and producers of ritual ceramics. They were skilled in the management of natural resources, which allowed them to adapt to their environment with ease. Much of the knowledge that was had during the Inca period comes from these civilizations.

The first civilization of Peru was settled in Huantar, Ancash, to the north of the Peruvian territory, in the year 1000 a.C. This civilization was theocratic, and its center of power was in Chavin de Huantar, a temple whose walls and galleries were full of sculptures of fierce deities with feline features.

Paracas culture

It appeared in the year 700 a.C., located along the south coast of Peru. This culture was known for its extensive textile skills. Over time, the north coast was also dominated by another culture, known as the Mochica civilization (100 AD).

Mochica culture

The Mochicas were a civilization led by military authorities, such as the Lord of Sipan. Moche vessels painted with portraits, emphasize the iconographic ability of the Mochicas as craftsmen (Less, 2016).

Tiahuanaco culture

In the year 200 d.C. Appears the Tiahuanaco culture, located in the region of Callao. This culture covered part of Peru, Bolivia and Chile. The Tiahuanaco were the first to implement the use of agricultural terraces, being experts in the management of different ecological zones.

Nazca culture

Nazca Lines

Appeared in the year 300 d.C approximately. The members of the Nazca culture were experts in the coastal desert. In this way, they brought irrigation systems through underground aqueducts and dug animal figures on the desert floor.

It is believed that these figures are part of an agricultural calendar. However, to this day their real purpose is unknown.

Wari culture

The Wari culture inhabited the region of Ayacucho in 600 AD, extending across the Andes.

Chimu culture

It inhabited the north of Peru in the year 700 d.C. And specialized in the work of metals such as gold, close to what is now the city of Trujillo.

In 800 AD Appears the culture chanchapoyas, specialized in the plow of the earth. Their settlements were in the highest parts of the mountains. Building forts on the sides of the mountains to protect themselves and adapt to the conditions of the earth.

Inca empire

The Inca empire dates from the year 1,438 d.C. And was abolished by the Spaniards in the year 1,533 with the murder of its leader, Atahualpa . The Inca civilization is possibly the most organized in South America. Its economic system, distribution of wealth, artistic manifestations and architecture impressed the first Spanish chroniclers who arrived in America.

Losincas worshiped the goddess of the land Pachamama and the sun god Inti. It was believed that the Inca sovereign, the lord of Tahuantinsuyo, was descended from the sun god. It is said that Inti sent his sons Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo to the land to found Cusco, the sacred city and capital of the Inca empire.

The rapid expansion of the Inca empire was due to its organizational skills. Communities were grouped by families and territories around the ayllu, their corner of the empire. Even if some villages were to move from their settlement to work, they did not lose their link with the ayllu (Hunefeldt, 2004).

The Incas moved around large populations, taking knowledge of different cultures that had flourished before the establishment of the Inca empire. The clans of the Incas were panacas, conformed by relatives and descendants, when an Inca was named successor of the clan, this one had to form its own panaca.

The Spanish chronicles of the sixteenth century tell that the Inca dynasty had 13 rulers, beginning with the legendary Manco Capac until the controversial Atahualpa, who had to suffer death at the hands of the Spanish conquers .

Before the arrival of the Spanish, the Inca empire expanded through the territories of Colombia , Argentina, Chile, Ecuador and Bolivia.

Each member of the panaca clan belonged to the Inca nobility, and was guided by the ruler of the empire. The power of the clans was tangible in every corner of the empire and reached its maximum expression with the construction of the city of Machu Picchu, where is the temple of the sun, the fortress of Ollantaytambo and Sacsayhuaman, located in the highest part of the Citadel (Drinot, 2014).

References

1. Drinot, P. (2014). Peru in Theory. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
2. Hunefeldt, C. (2004). A Brief History of Peru. San Diego: Lexington Associates.
3. Kalman, B., & Everts, T. (2003). Peru: The People and Culture. Ontario: Crabtree Publishing Company.
4. Less, P. F. (2016). HISTORICAL INFORMATION . Retrieved from"Pre-Columbian Peru: peru-explorer.com".
5. Peru the land of the incas . (January 11, 2007). Obtained from Peru at a glance: texcolca1.tripod.com.
6. Net. (2014). Peru Travels . Obtained from The First Settlers - Peruvian History: perutravels.net.
7. Stanford, P. &. (2004). Peruvian in Stanford - PES . Obtained from Peru: General Information: web.stanford.edu.