My book, The Monumental Andes—Geology, Geography, and Ancient Cultures of the Peruvian Andes, is hot off the presses! (Finally! Hooray!) Encompassing towering snow-covered volcanoes, elegant ruins of ancient civilizations, a wide variety of rock types and fossils, llamas and alpacas—there is so much about the central Andean region that fascinates. My book is one that I would have liked to read before traveling in Peru.

In my blog posts, I frequently include information I’ve learned from my research about the central Andes and the ancient cultures that flourished there. The Monumental Andes includes much of this information, but not all. The book was getting longer than I wanted, so moving some material into blog posts was, in part, why I began writing them.

In this blog post, I summarize a dozen of my published posts about Peru, emphasizing my favorite topics of the ancient Andeans’ construction, metalworking, and artistic achievements (links to each blog post are in the titles). If the information interests you, and you’d like to learn more about the amazing Andes Mountains and the ancient cultures that prospered in that challenging environment, please read my new book! You could order a copy for yourself, or for a friend, on the University of Utah Press website: https://uofupress.com/books/the-monumental-andes/, or on Amazon (pre-orders, currently): amazon.com/the-monumental-andes/ — or convince your local library to purchase the book (hardback, paperback, or ebook available). (NOTE: I have a copy of the book, but it will take a week or more for mailed copies to be delivered. And if you order a copy from Amazon and submit a review (glowing?!), I will be most appreciative.)

Monuments, Megaliths, and Inca Builders

The Incas and their ancestors invested enormous amounts of time and labor in the meticulous work of quarrying, transporting, and fitting together multi-ton stone blocks, or megaliths, for monumental construction projects. The ancient Andean stonework is so impressive that many have found it difficult to believe that mere humans, who lacked draft animals and had stone-age tools, could be responsible for the construction. However, carefully collected evidence reveals that ancient Andeans used only human labor for all construction tasks.

Buildings That Last 

In the earthquake-prone central Andes Mountains, there are archaeological sites with monumental adobe and stone block buildings still standing that ancient people built hundreds and even thousands of years ago. Clearly, the ancient builders planned to have their important structures last–-and they had the engineering knowledge to build appropriately for their environment.

Terraces at Moray

Mysteries of Inca Moray—Part 1

Inca builders created features that are admired today, nearly five centuries later, for their precision, complexity, and beauty. A notable sculpted landscape masterpiece is a set of large circular depressions lined with concentric rings of stone-lined terraces. Named Moray and on a high plain about 20 miles (32 km) northwest of Cusco, these circles began as deep natural sinkholes with unstable slopes at the angle of repose. Constructing Moray required tremendous engineering skills and thousands of hours of construction efforts, so why was it built? Researchers have evidence and ideas.

Water and Power at Chavín de Huántar

The ancestors of the Incas also built many impressive constructions. Among these is Chavín de Huántar in northern Peru, with a sprawling monumental temple complex that was once the center of a powerful cult and an important pilgrimage site. Water became a centerpiece of the sacred complex at Chavín, where the ancient builders constructed an extensive underground system of channels to control the movement and likely the roaring sound of water for a backdrop during religious ceremonies.

Rocks, Ropes and Reed Rafts

The Tiwanaku culture developed in cold, thin air near Lake Titicaca, high in the Andes Mountains, hundreds of years before the Inca Empire arose. Collecting and transporting heavy stone blocks from distant quarries were among the many impressive accomplishments of the Tiwanaku people. Abundant evidence shows that the ancient workers moved massive andesite blocks on reed rafts across about 14 miles (23 km) of Lake Titicaca and then dragged them another 14 miles (23 km) to construction sites—amazing accomplishments.

Rope Bridges Across Deep Canyons 

The Inca designers of the Qhapaq Ñan, or Great Inca Road, that united the empire in the Andes Mountains, took advantage of many pre-existing roads and trails. Builders expanded this system until they linked the vast empire in a 25,000-mile (40,234-km) network of roads and trails. A particular challenge: bridges needed to be built across deep and precipitous canyons filled with raging rivers of white water. The Incas did not have the advantage of a written language, nor the use of iron tools or the wheel—but they had exceptional design skills, an enormous labor force, and sophisticated organizational capabilities.

Inca figurine of a llama in gold; 2 inches high

Ancient Metals and Ancient Mines—Part 1

Rich deposits of metals, created by the dynamic geologic environment that built the rugged Andes Mountains, became intertwined with Andean cultures in the New World. The Incas and their ancestors created metal products primarily for aesthetic use and for religious goods. This contrasts with Old World cultures, where the emphasis was on the mechanical properties of metal—strength, hardness and sharpness—for tools and weapons.

Andean Gold—Gift and Curse

Ancient Andean people revered gold and created exquisite gold art objects for thousands of years. These riches ultimately led to the fall of the Inca Empire when the metal lured Spanish conquistadores high into the Andes Mountains. Gold continues to be mined today, with adverse consequences for the environment and many Andean people.

Machu Picchu and Mysterious “Gold” Mortar

The fine masonry of royal Inca buildings are stunning aesthetic and technical accomplishments. Although researchers are confident that they understand many ancient Andean construction techniques, some aspects are difficult to explain and remain uncertain. Early Spanish chroniclers reported that Inca builders used “molten gold” as mortar during stone block construction, and a chemist’s research paper presents some intriguing insights.

Inca tunic, camelid wool and cotton (1450 to 1540)

Creatures from the Moche World

Ancient Moche artists created an exceptional level of ceramic art over 1,500 years ago when this culture prospered along the arid north coast of Peru. They produced realistic three-dimensional ceramic forms of people and animals, and they decorated vessels with exquisite fine-line drawings. The realistic ceramic animals and the drawings of supernatural creatures on the ceramics are especially remarkable.

Fabulous Ancient Andean Fabrics

An extremely long and rich tradition of fiber arts exists from the Andes Mountains, possibly the longest continuous history of fiber use found on earth. From exquisitely embroidered shrouds used to wrap mummies many thousands of years ago, to the finely woven tapestry tunics worn by Inca royalty, the artistry of these items is exceptional. Textiles are relatively light and easy to carry on the backs of travelers or llamas, making widespread distribution possible.

Fangs and Claws of Gold—Supernatural Creatures in Ancient Chavin Art  

The Chavín culture, recognized in the mountains of northern Peru from about 900 to 200 BCE, created many exquisite pieces of art. Meticulously crafted from hammered sheets of gold, exceptional pieces include an eagle image covered with multiple fangs and claws, a creature with a swirl of serpents replacing the fur, and a scowling half human/half beast figure on a crown. The transformation of humans into animals is a frequent theme, and likely an essential part of Chavín religious beliefs.

A mythical condor or eagle from a hammered gold sheet by a Chavín artist.

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This type of information—and much more—is available in my book. Please check it out!

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