Ancient Andes

Colorful geometric textile pattern with red, beige, green, and blue motifs.

Monumental geoglyphs, ancient cities, beautiful textiles, and masterful stonework—dive into the history of the Ancient Andes

Prehistoric Period

Paracas

Moche

Lambayeque

Tiwanaku

Chavín

Nazca

Wari

Chimú

Inka

What is the Ancient Andes?

The ancient Andes refers to Indigenous societies that flourished in the region of the Andes Mountain range, including parts of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina

Timeline diagram of Peruvian cultures, from Prehistoric to Early Intermediate periods. Includes Caral, Cupisnique, Chavín, and Nazca cultures.

Timeline of historical periods: Middle Horizon (600–1000 CE, Tiwanaku), Late Intermediate (1000–1476 CE, Chimú), Late Horizon (1476–1534 CE, Inka), Colonial/Viceregal (1534–1820 CE, Viceroyalty of Peru).

Early Andes

Get to know the vibrant ancient cultures that flourished in the early Andes during the prehistoric, Formative, and Early Horizon periods

The Prehistoric Period

Includes periods often referred to as the Lithic and Preceramic

Ancient handprint cave art on a rock wall.

VIDEO: Cueva de los Manos (Cave of the Hands) in Argentina

Learn more about the Prehistoric Era

Graphic design featuring illustrations of ancient Greek and Roman artifacts, a human face, and a mythological creature, with a "Coming Soon" message.

COMING SOON: Valdivia figurines, Ecuador

The Formative, Early Horizon, and Early Intermediate Periods

c. 1800 BCE–600 BCE

Many cultures, from Chavín to the Moche, flourished during this time

Chavín and Cupisnique

c. 1200–200 BCE

Chavin culture developed in the northern Andean highlands of Peru, and the site of Chavín de Huántar was an important pilgrimage destination

A hammered gold plaque showing a complicated pattern revealing a figure holding staffs

VIDEO: Chavín Staff God

Close-up view of golden andean decorative object with geometric patterns and designs.

VIDEO: An agnathic feline plate from Chávin de Huántar

Ancient ceramic vessel with detailed designs and a hollowed-out handle, displayed in a glass case.

VIDEO: Cupisnique Vessel

Paracas

c. 700–200 BCE

Paracas culture thrived on the arid southern coast of Peru, where incredible textiles have survived in tombs

A colorful, patterned textile with rows of stylized figures resembling animals or mythical creatures, arranged in a grid-like pattern on a green background, bordered by a decorative yellow strip with additional figures.

VIDEO: The Linear vs. Color Block Styles of Paracas Textiles

A carved figurine of an animal, possibly a boar or pig, with intricate geometric patterns on its body, displayed in a museum or gallery setting.

COMING SOON: Paracas feline vessel

Nazca

c. 200 BCE–600 CE

Overlapping for a period with the earlier Paracas culture, Nazca likewise thrived on the arid southern coast of Peru where they produced colorful ceramics and the massive geoglyphs known as the Nazca Lines

the form a hummingbird is etched into the surface of the Nazca Desert

VIDEO: What is a geoglyph?

Learn more about Nazca Culture

VIDEO: Nazca Lines

Decorative ceramic vessel with a painted design depicting a mischievous character with a red face, holding utensils, and surrounded by abstract shapes and lines in red, black, and beige colors.

VIDEO: What are double spout and bridge vessels? Nazca Ceramics

Moche

c. 200 BCE–900 CE

The Moche are well-known for their monumental adobe structures, memorable ceramics, and skilled craftsmanship in metalworking.

detail of a vessel in a museum that has a naturalistic human face

VIDEO: Moche “portrait” vessels

Digital illustration of ancient Greek and Roman artifacts, including a woman holding a vase, a Greek or Roman bust, a jewelry headpiece, a Greek or Roman column, and a helmet, with a central text that reads "COMING SOON".

Moche animal vessels

Learn more about Moche Culture

A digital illustration with ancient Greek and Asian motifs, featuring a Greek statue bust, a vase, a column, and a central stylized lion or dragon face, with the text "Coming Soon" across the middle.

Moche fineline vessels

Later Andes (Middle Horizon, Late Intermediate, and Late Horizon)

c. 600–1534 CE

Get to know the cultures of later periods in the Andes during the Middle Horizon, Late Intermediate, and Late Horizon periods

Lambayeque (Sicán)

VIDEO: Kero (quero) vessels in the Ancient Andes

Ancient metal artifact shaped like a small, detailed figure with a headdress and arms outstretched, displayed in a glass case with a nature-themed background.

VIDEO: Tumi (ceremonial knife)

Wari

A colorful mosaic shows a face surrounded by stylized snakes on a mirror

VIDEO: Wari Mosaic Mirror

Colorful traditional woven textile or rug with geometric patterns and rectangular sections in red, orange, pink, black, blue, and beige.

VIDEO: Tapestry-woven tunic

A graphic design with various outlined objects on a green background, including a classical sculpture, a jug, an ancient Chinese face mask, and a Roman column, with the words 'COMING SOON' in the center.

Wari Stirrup Spout Vessel

Tiwanaku

Illustration of ancient artifacts, including a column, face, shell, and helmet, with the text 'Coming Soon' in the center on a blue and green background.

Chimú

A decorated spondylus shell in black, orange, and teal on top.

VIDEO: Spondylus Shell Pendant and the Kingdom of Chimor

Close-up photograph of ancient round jewelry or artifacts with intricate designs on display in a museum.

VIDEO: Ear ornaments in the Pre-Columbian Americas

Chimú Feline Vessel

Embossed silver disk

The Inka

The Inka (Inca) civilization had advanced engineering, monumental architecture at places like Machu Picchu, and sophisticated systems for agriculture and governance.