THE 8 MOST IMPORTANT ANDEAN CIVILIZATIONS - HISTORY - 2025

The Andean civilizations are the various pre-Columbian peoples that were formed in some regions of South and Central America. According to specialists, these cultures were the ones that established the main cultural manifestations that later would identify the countries of the so-called New World.

It was in the mid-20th century when archaeologists and anthropologists began to question the past of the American nations, many wondering how Aboriginal communities arose. They expressed that the history of that continent not only encompassed the development of indigenous empires, as there must have been a reality that men still did not know.

Territory with a circle in the center. Source: Saqsayhuaman1 (via wikimedia commons)

From that moment on, different theories arose. After conducting several studies, Federico Kauffmann Doig stated that the first civilization was born on the coast of Ecuador and was called Valdivia. According to the Peruvian historian, this group emerged in the course of the third millennium BC.

However, Julio Tello and Augusto Cárdich stated that the Andean populations were older, since they had derived from the Amazon rainforest of Peru at the beginning of 3000 BC, as demonstrated by the agricultural advance. Hypothesis that was refuted by Friedrich Uhle, who explained that at that time urban centers were being erected in certain areas of Mexico.

However, in 1997 Ruth Shady indicated that the first rural state was Caral, which apparently was built at the end of the fourth millennium BC and was located north of Lima. What was essential about these groupings was that - thanks to their political and economic organizations - they contributed to the construction of the colonial societies of America.

Division of the Andean civilizations

After examining the pre-Columbian past, the researchers concluded that the evolution of the Andean civilizations could be divided into six stages, which were named horizons due to the primitive customs that certain contemporary communities conserved.

With the aim of dividing these cultural phases, the authors focused on the analysis of the following elements: the discovery of ceramics as an artistic and manufacturing artifact; the different governmental structures; modification of the social hierarchy; pedagogical progress and changes in the field of religion.

Following these aspects, it was shown that these populations were in constant growth, which began during the archaic age.

Archaic period

Scientists allude that it is difficult to determine how long people lived in the Andean areas, although they managed to verify that before the last ice age there were individuals in those territories that were devoted to hunting. Those inhabitants were characterized by living in a primary state; but over the years they created other activities such as fishing and planting.

These tasks were motivated by the climatic alteration. It should not be forgotten that around this time the land went from being arid to fertile. This is how, from the seventh millennium BC, the beings that were located in the mountain ranges of the Pacific were dedicated to agriculture. It is worth noting that centuries later the subjects began to associate.

The unification of the natives can be seen as a subsistence mechanism that facilitated the cultivation process and favored the increase of the population. Despite these advances, it is convenient to point out that concrete communities were not established at this stage, since this event took place in the training cycle.

Training period

Once the agrarian trade became a daily occupation, the men focused on forging kinship nuclei, whose purpose was to validate the ayllu or the village that was being established. In this way, it is perceived that this age was essential because parent communities were founded, where individuals recognized the collective work.

Caral Civilization (4000-1500 BC)

Specialists indicate that this tribe had great importance in the third millennium, although it emanated in the province of Barranca in the last decades of 4000 BC. Its geographical terms spread rapidly, dominating the coastal regions of Huaura and Huarmey; the Conchucos and Ucayali mountain ranges, as well as the limits of the Huallaga and Marañón rivers.

This town was constituted by diverse lineages. Each family had a head of household. Religion was related to politics: the inhabitants did not believe in immaterial entities, but praised the ruler. In order to foster a sense of belonging, people set up alters.

In the governmental meetings the local authorities participated, who used to be the learned individuals; but Caral was ruled by a curaca, that position was held by the most experienced warrior. The economic system was based on fishing and agriculture.

Early horizon

It is considered that during this period the natives expanded their knowledge, since the Andean state was instituted as a whole. Event that happened because the tribes that were scattered began to integrate. The settlers were more aware of geographical landmarks and perfected agricultural techniques.

They also ventured into the field of textiles and metallurgy. The state order was also restructured and the worldview exhibited new cults.

Chavín Civilization (1200-200 BC)

The Chavín de Huántar people settled in the Conchucos mountain range and their dominion expanded through the areas that made up the municipality of Huari. It was one of the Peruvian cultures that managed to transcend due to its socio-political organization. This culture thought that priests deserved absolute state power, since they could communicate with divinities.

Then his government was theocratic. Shamans guided both the military nobility and civilians, and men worshiped anthropomorphic deities, which is why they made continuous human and animal sacrifices for the jaguar, puma and snake gods.

To acquire resources, they focused on harvesting corn, potatoes and beans. Besides, they raised alpacas, guinea pigs and llamas. The purpose was to exchange these products for fish or yarns to weave.

Early intermediate

The aspects that stood out in this era were the construction of monuments, the creation of artistic instruments, the classification of divinities, population growth and commercial progress. The populations were no longer seen as a unit: on the contrary, small civilizations were emerging.

Nazca Civilization (100-800 AD)

The Nazca people were located in the lands of Chincha, Cahuachi, Arequipa and Ayacucho. It was made up of various castes, which included their own lordship. The bosses of the different zones only met when they had the same objective: to expand the territory or to defeat the enemies. In this way, it is noted that his government was not homogeneous, but decentralized.

Although the functions were distributed, the aborigines communicated with other societies in order to share ideas and materials. This civilization stood out thanks to its technological project, as it designed more than fifteen irrigation canals. The purpose was to improve agricultural areas.

His worldview was polytheistic in nature. The indigenous people believed in totemism and animism. Their rituals used to be funeral and warlike.

Moche Civilization (150-700 AD)

This ethnic group occupied the spaces of the valleys of Áncash and Piura. It is one of the few Andean cultures that are preserved today. The Moche community was relevant because it not only focused on the usual jobs such as fishing and agronomy, but also started the navigation work and the construction of hydraulic works.

Its inhabitants trusted that there were numerous spiritual entities, which would get upset if mortals did not comply with the ceremonies. As for the governmental field, the political scale had three levels, where the monarch, the nobility and the bureaucrats were located. The town was led by a king, who declared that he was a descendant of the gods.

Medium horizon

In the course of this time, the American tribes sought total control of the territories. That is why they wanted to expand their cultural features, such as language and art. That is, civilizations tried to reinterpret social paradigms with the aim of transforming them. The states that stood out in this phase were Tiahuanaco and Huari.

Tiahuanaco Civilization (200 BC-1100 AD)

This population was born near Lake Titicaca, which was located in the southeast of Bolivia; but her authority ended up covering certain areas of Chile, Argentina and Peru. Historians express that it was the only culture that remained intact over the years, thanks to its governmental system, which was identified as theocratic.

State leaders tried to displace violence the moment they conquered a region. Instead of weapons, they used religious doctrine. The Tiahuanacos were polytheists: they professed the existence of various metamorphic gods. On the other hand, its economy was oriented towards the transfer of agricultural products and the development of hydrology.

Huari Civilization (700-1200 AD)

The Huari culture was located in the areas of Cuzco, Moquegua and Lambayeque. In the middle of the 11th century AD, it was incorporated into the Tiahuanaco state. In order to honor the divinities and avoid calamities, individuals founded the Kalasasaya temple.

For the natives of the Huari community the priests were not relevant; power was possessed by the king and the military, which is why their main task was to prepare men to be warriors.

In addition, they erected sanctuaries and designed endless infrastructures. In this way, it is appreciated that this town did not dedicate itself to collecting food, but to artistic activities.

Late intermediate

In the 1940s, archaeologists published a study where they detailed that in the decade of 950 AD the natural phenomenon began that devastated certain Andean civilizations. The drought affected rural and coastal areas, as production decreased. The shortage of water and nutrients caused people to lose their lives.

Therefore, the populations that survived this event moved to the high regions, places where it rained frequently. This fact caused the states to focus on changing their customs.

Chimú Civilization (900-1400 AD)

At first, the Chimú tribe settled on the north coast of Peru; but years later the individuals decided to forge their dwellings on the valleys that surrounded the city of Chan Chan. It is pertinent to mention that this culture was suppressed by the Inca empire.

Since it emerged, this civilization was characterized by establishing a centralized government. The emperor was the one in charge of exposing the laws, while the office of the bureaucrats was to examine that the inhabitants obeyed them. The perception of the natives was that in the world there were more gods than humans.

Although they idolized multiple divinities, their cult exalted the stars. There were three contributions in the economic sphere: they elaborated irrigation perimeters, they created ceramic works and metallic instruments that expedited the cultivation.

Late horizon

The late horizon was called the last cycle in which American civilizations progressed. During this stage, the Inca culture managed to establish itself as a Pan-Andean state, since it defeated the neighboring communities, obtaining their lands and labor tools. This period ceased in the 16th century, just when Spanish troops defeated the indigenous castes.

Inca Civilization (1438-1533)

Machu Picchu, ancient Andean Inca town.

This empire was located in almost all the South American territories. It was the culture that had more regions under its mandate. For that reason, the Inca emperor created a decimal political structure: he distributed power among ten officials of the nobility to supervise the progress of the administration.

Their economic activities were transporting merchandise, working the land, and raising camelids. The Incas took refuge in the will of the divinities; but they praised the deity of the sun. They thought that the god Viracocha had elaborated three realities to determine the destiny of men, which depended on their actions, decisions and loyalty.

References

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