"It is widely taught in the field of ancient history that Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, and India, gave rise to the first civilizations of mankind. However, few are aware that at the same time, and in some cases before some of these societies emerged, another great civilization had sprouted - the Norte Chico civilization of Supe, Peru – the first known civilization of the Americas. Their capital was the Sacred City of Caral – a 5,000-year-old metropolis complete with complex agricultural practices, rich culture, and monumental architecture, including six large pyramidal structures, stone and earthen platform mounds, temples, amphitheatre, sunken circular plazas, and residential areas."Last Saturday, I headed 250+ kilometers north of Lima to reach the ancient city of Caral - in fact, it's the oldest city in North/Central/South America, dating back to 3,000 BC. While it was first discovered in the early 20th century, it wasn't until the 1970's that archeologists realized the tremendous importance of the site. It wasn't even until the year 2000, due to carbon testing, that experts realized the city dated back as far as it did.
It was a holiday weekend in Peru (their national independence day weekend) and I expected the site to be mobbed but there were probably less than 100 people in total there, giving me plenty of time to explore on my own. There are very few human remains (none visible to tourists) but the remnants of the small pyramids that remain are in spectacular condition, considering they have survived the effects of nature for 5,000 years!
Click here to see more photos from this recent excursion to America's oldest city!
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