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Ancient Peru was the cradle of civilization. There is a rich heritage of history, as Peru has been the center and seat of many dominant Andean civilizations, most notably the Inca civilization. Ancient Peru has habitation as early as 20,000 B.C., and since then has been the host of many cultures and civilizations, being the center of the development and flourishing.
The true origin of the first immigrant to ancient Peru, hunters and gatherers, is a matter of debate. There has been many theories about the true origin of the first American men in Peru, with contrasting theories suggesting that they were either natives, or immigrants from the Asian subcontinent.
Before the Inca period, many small cultures and civilizations developed in ancient Peru. These include the Chimu, Nazca and Paracas civilizations along the Pacific coast, and the Chavin and Tiahuanaco civilization further inland, in the mountains. .
Among these, the Chavin were by far the most ancient civilization in Peru. They left their cultural footprints on Peru, which greatly influenced the culture Peru was to have later. They were advanced in metallurgy, pottery and textile making.
The Nazca civilization is another notable civilization in ancient Peru. They flourished in an area of coastal deserts, which they turned into viable agricultural lands, using an innovative system of underground aqueducts, which are still used. They are famous for “Nazca Lines”, a series of motif style drawing on the ground, or geoglyphs, in the Nazca desert region. These drawings range from simple human figures to elaborate animal forms.
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