Knowra Caral–Supe civilization Caral–Supe civilization An early complex society in Peru’s Supe Valley that flourished around 3000–1800 BCE. Its settlements featured monumental architecture, including platform mounds and sunken circular plazas.
Sacred City of Caral : A large archaeological settlement in Peru’s Supe Valley, with platform mounds, plazas, and residential areas. Its monumental core is the civilization’s best-known urban center.
Platform mound : A raised, usually flat-topped structure made from earth, stone, or other materials. Caral–Supe builders used these structures to create prominent civic and ceremonial spaces.
Norte Chico civilization : A term often used for the early complex societies of Peru’s north-central coast, including Caral–Supe. This broader regional label is frequently applied to the same archaeological tradition.
Urbanization : The growth of towns and cities and the concentration of people in them. Caral–Supe settlements show substantial urban planning before pottery and widespread warfare.
Aspero : An ancient settlement near Peru’s Pacific coast, associated with the Caral–Supe civilization. Its coastal location reveals the society’s maritime sources of food.
Sunken plaza : A deliberately excavated open space, often enclosed by walls or surrounding buildings. Circular sunken plazas were recurring features of major Caral–Supe complexes.
Preceramic period : A period in the Americas before pottery became widespread in a region. Caral–Supe developed without the ceramics common in later Andean societies.
Social complexity : The differentiation and coordination of roles, institutions, and relationships within a society. Monumental construction indicates organized labor and leadership, even without clear evidence of kings.
Vichama : An archaeological site near the coast of Peru’s Huaura Valley, with monumental buildings linked to the Caral–Supe tradition. Its murals and architecture extend the story beyond the Supe Valley.
Quipu : A system of knotted cords used in the Andes to record or communicate information. Knotted-cord finds at Caral suggest information practices, though their function remains uncertain.
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