Early Civilizations in the Americas Almanac | Early Andeans: From Nomads to City Folk

• The Andes: A region of extremes
• The earliest Andeans
• Settling into Andean homes
• The Cotton pre-Ceramic era: 3000 to 1800 B.C.E.
• Norte Chico discoveries
• After Caral
• For More Information

People have been living in the Andean region for at least twelve thousand years, and probably much longer. From the time of the earliest inhabitation of the region until about 7000 B.C.E. most Andean people were nomadic or semi-nomadic, roaming through the vastly different environments of the dry coastal plains, foothills, highland meadows, and mountain peaks. They hunted large and small game, fished, and gathered edible plants. Late...