Pre-Columbian Americas

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Prehispanic Mesoamerica

Pre-Columbian Americas

First civilizations in Americas

Caral-Supe, Peru, 3,000-1800 BC[edit | edit source]

  • PiramidesdeCaral.JPG
    PiramidesdeCaral
    the oldest city in the Americas is "Caral-Supe" in Peru
  • pre-Incan, approx 3,000 BC
    • contemporaneous (same time) with Ancient Egypt
  • population was approx, 3,000
    • other similar sites suggest overall regional population of up to 20,000
  • consists of ceremonial, monumental and administrative buildings/ structures
  • city layout shows signs of social classes
    • large residential complexes near to ceremonial structures
    • small rooms in other areas
  • built pyramids
  • created the pattern of urban design in the Andes through to the Inca
  • shows no signs of warfare of defensive structures



Americas to do

  • Metallurgy in pre-Columbian Americas per region:
    • North America: no smelting
      • copper readily available, malleable by hammering
    • South America developed smelting
    • Mesoamerica metallurgy via South American diffusion
  • see: Metallurgy in pre-Columbian America - Wikipedia
    • iron readily available
    • gold / silver / copper
      • gold hammered
      • tumbaga: copper-gold alloy
        • used for casting
    • gems used extensively / jade
    • obsidian used for edges/ knives/ cutting
      • ability to cut stone
      • but not wood
      • source: The Minerals of Pre-Columbian America | Rock & Gem Magazine (rockngem.com)
      • Andes region alloy use
        • tin used for specific but not general purposes >> "wirework bells"
          • tin deposits avail, not exploited
      • copper smelting in drafted furnaces
      • mercury
      • platinum developed in Andes region
        • copper, gold, silver alloys
        • technology adopted by Spanish
      • sinnabar
    • wood less useful
      • charcoal not developed
      • planks not exploited for buildings / ships