THE FIRST SETTLERS OF PERU - HISTORY - 2025

The first settlers of Peru were hunters and gatherers who came to this Latin American territory more than 20,000 years ago. They used land tools and lived off the land and fruit.

Some of them settled in Paccaicasa, in what is known today as the province of Ayacucho (Perutravels.net, 2014). The oldest archaeological remains of these settlers date back to 7000 BC These remains indicate that they were people 1.6 meters tall.

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

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

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

As regional cultures 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 highlands of Peru. The priority and distinctive mark of power of these cultures was the possession of huge portions of land. Smaller territories gave rise to small civilizations and regional centers, with less power (Stanford, 2004).

The members of these cultures stood out for being artisans and producers of ritual ceramic pieces. They were skilled in managing natural resources, which allowed them to adapt to their surroundings with ease. Much of the knowledge that was had during the Inca period comes from these civilizations.

The first civilization of Peru settled in Huantar, Ancash, north of Peruvian territory, in the year 1,000 BC This civilization was theocratic, and its center of power was in the Chavin de Huantar, a temple whose walls and galleries were full of sculptures of fierce deities with feline features.

Paracas culture

It appeared in 700 BC, located along the southern coast of Peru. This culture was known for its extensive textile skills. With the passage of 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. The Moche vessels painted with portraits highlight the iconographic ability of the Mochicas as artisans (Less, 2016).

Tiahuanaco culture

In 200 AD the Tiahuanaco culture appeared, located in the Callao region. 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

It appeared in around 300 AD. The members of the Nazca culture were expert inhabitants of the coastal desert. In this way, they brought irrigation systems by underground aqueducts and dug figures of animals in the desert floor.

These figures are believed to be part of an agricultural calendar. However, until today its real purpose is unknown.

Wari culture

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

Chimu culture

He inhabited northern Peru in 700 AD and specialized in metalworking such as gold, near what is now the city of Trujillo.

In 800 AD, the Chanchapoyas culture appeared, specialized in plowing the land. 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 land.

Inca empire

Machu Pichu

The Inca empire dates from the year 1,438 AD and was abolished by the Spanish in the year 1,533 with the assassination 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.

The Incas worshiped the earth goddess Pachamama and the sun god Inti. The Inca sovereign, the lord of Tahuantinsuyo, was believed to be a descendant of the sun god. It is said that Inti sent her sons Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo to earth to found Cusco, the sacred city and capital of the Inca empire.

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

The Incas moved around large populations, taking in the knowledge of various cultures that had flourished before the establishment of the Inca empire. The clans of the Incas were panacas, made up of relatives and descendants, when an Inca was named successor of the clan, it had to form its own panaca.

Spanish chronicles of the 16th century relate 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 conquerors.

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 clans belonged to the Inca nobility, and was guided by the sovereign 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 the temple of the sun is located, 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, PF (2016). HISTORICAL INFORMATION. Obtained 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). Peruvians at Stanford - PES. Obtained from Peru: General Information: web.stanford.edu.