CARAL...
The oldest city
in the Southern Hemisphere
Caral - © Luis Montero
Of all civilizations that ever flourished in Peru, the ancient city of Caral (Supe valley) has the potential to rewrite the history of human civilization on earth.
It's considered to be the oldest city in the new world, earliest urban center of the Americas, as people moved from small family units to build cities of thousands of people (Caral had about 3,000 inhabitants at some point)
It was being built at the same time the Giza pyramids in Egypt were under construction.
In fact, Radiocarbon dates (2001) show that this formidable architecture was under construction as early as 2627 BC and until about 2000 BC.
Caral is one of the 18 settlements built by the Supe society along the Supe valley, in the "Norte Chico" of Peru, some 185 km to the North of Lima by the Pan-American Highway.
Caral Amphitheatre - © Luis Montero
This 66 hectares (aprox 200 acre) site, discovered in 1994 by Peruvian archaeologist Ruth Shady - Antrhopology Museum at the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Peru - constitutes an elaborate complex of pyramids, temples, an amphitheatre and ordinary houses.
The public architecture has stairs, rooms, courtyards and three sunken plazas.
Te main pyramid -Pirámide Mayor- covers an area of about the size of four football fields.
It appears to be the model for the urban design adopted by other Andean civilizations such as Chavin, Wari, Moche, Inca, etc.
Curiously enough, the cities built the Caral society were not sited strategically.
No trace of warfare, weapons or mutilated bodies were found, what suggests a gentle society built mainly on commerce and pleasure.
For unknown reasons, it was abandoned after a period of about 500 years, ca 2100 BC.
To learn more about it, visit www.caralperu.gob.pe
This archaeological treasure, located 14 miles inland from Peru's coastline, was opened for tourism in 2006, so make sure you don't miss Caral on your next journey to Peru...the cradle of ancient cultures...
How to Get There:
By bus:
From Lima to nearby towns of Huacho, Supe of Barranca and then hire a taxi to the site.
Better yet, hire a private car through your hotel inLima or rent a car from Hertz, National or Budget.
You could also opt for a day tour to Caral.
Where to Stay:
If you wish to remain overnight in the area for a longer visit to Caral, try the towns of...
Huacho:- Hotel Centenario: (Phone: 011 51 1 232 3731)
- Hotel Continental: (Phone: 011 51 1 235 2458)
- Hotel Chavin: (Phone: 011 51 1 235 2358)
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