Inca Prehistory
The Americas were first colonized by Homo sapiens tens of thousands of years ago. Travelling from Asia, early humans crossed the land bridge of Beringia during an ice age to North America around 16,000 BC, passing through Central America in 12,000 BC before finally reaching the diverse southern part of the continent.
In South America, preserved organic remains found in arid caves in the Andes show that plants were cultivated by around 6500 BC. Along with local varities of potato, these included plants such as beans and chillies native to the jungle lowlands to the east. It is therefore likely that agriculture in South America began in the Amazon Basin, although humid conditions in the Amazon meant ancient plant remains were not preserved. Pottery used to process manioc (cassava) offers indirect evidence this important American staple food was cultivated in South America by around 2000 BC.
By this time, village communites throughout the Andean region had established a variety of techniques to exploit local resources, such as rich fisheries in coastal regions, irrigated crops inland, potatoes at higher altitude farmland, and meat and wool from the llamas and alpacas of the highlands. Religious centres, great cemetries and monumental structures were also built by these early peoples, including those built by the Chavin culture of 1200 BC, which united people along the Peruvian coast.
Between 600 and 1000 AD, at least three expansive political entities existed in South America. Near Lake Titicaca, the city of Tiwanaku extended its control from the rich farmlands around the lake to lower valleys in adjacent areas of southern Peru, as well as northern areas of Chile and Argentina. It is from this area that the first Inca society emerged.
Next - Beginnings of Inca Society
