Covered Up Truths | Investigate the Secrets of South American Ancient Civilizations

Journey through time as we delve into the mystical history of south american ancient civilizations. From the awe-inspiring ruins of Machu Picchu to the mysteries of the Nazca Lines, join us in exploring the remarkable cultures.

Strange Show | Mytsery, Documentary & weird news

6 min readAug 28, 2023

Last week, we dicussed about inspired imagination. Now is time to move on “Americas Ancient Civilization”.

Introduction: Imagine standing amidst the towering stone walls of Machu Picchu, feeling the weight of history whisper through the ancient stones. Picture gazing upon the intricate lines etched across the Nazca Desert, wondering about the hands that meticulously carved them.

South American ancient civilizations hold a mesmerizing allure, offering a window into cultures that thrived long before our modern world took shape. In this journey through time, we embark on an exploration of the mysteries, achievements, and legacies left behind by these enigmatic societies. From the lush rainforests of the Amazon to the heights of the Andes, each corner of this continent reveals fragments of stories.

South America, a vast landmass stretching from the heat of the equatorial tropics to the icy winds of Tierra del Fuego, has been the cradle of numerous civilizations. Their stories told through ancient ruins and carefully preserved artefacts, offer a fascinating glimpse into the diverse cultures, beliefs, and technologies that have shaped the continent’s history.

With its diverse ecosystems ranging from dense rainforests to arid deserts, South America has played host to a myriad of ancient civilizations that have uniquely sculpted the course of human history. Interest in these cultures persists today because there is so much media being produced about them, like ancient history podcasts.

The Progenitors: Laying the Groundwork

Long before monumental pyramids or intricate pottery graced the South American landscape, the continent’s earliest inhabitants planted their roots. Evidence suggests that as early as 15,000 years ago, hunter-gatherer groups began migrating from the north, taking the first steps toward the continent’s rich cultural narrative.

Monte Verde in Chile serves as an archaeological testament to these initial inhabitants, offering insights into their rudimentary tools, diet, and nomadic lifestyle. These pioneers set the stage for a sequence of intricate and fascinating civilizations.

The Artistic Agriculturalists: Sowing the Seeds of Civilization

Over time, the descendants of the early peoples in South America underwent a transformative evolution from mere survival to the dawn of civilization. Here, the importance of the artistic agriculturalists cannot be overstated.

In areas like the coastal plains of Ecuador, the Valdivia culture emerged around 3500 BC. They showcased one of the earliest forms of pottery in the Americas. But their creativity wasn’t confined to pottery alone; it extended to agriculture. These societies not only cultivated crops like maize, beans, and potatoes but also showcased an early flair for landscape art. This possibly sowed the seeds for grand geoglyphs, like the Nazca Lines, seen in later cultures.

The Urban Planners: Mapping the Path to Glory

As agriculture flourished, settlements grew. People were no longer solely reliant on nature’s unpredictable bounty. Now, they could store, trade, and even dictate agricultural outputs. This ushered in an era of urban planning.

The Sacred City of Caral, home to the Caral-Supe civilization, is a beacon of early urban planning. With its ceremonial pyramids, sunken plazas, and residential areas, the city reflected a sophisticated sense of spatial organization and community structure. This trend of meticulous urban planning continued with the Moche civilization, whose urban centres boasted well-thought-out drainage systems, pyramids, and plazas.

The Architects and Engineers: Crafting Wonders in Stone

The leap from early settlements to monumental architectural feats required the combined talents of architects, engineers, and, according to ancient texts, a bit of magic. The Inca Empire, often regarded as the pinnacle of South American ancient civilizations, and the subject of several ancient history podcasts, exemplifies this.

The breathtaking city of Machu Picchu, with its terraced landscapes and precisely carved stones that fit without the need for mortar, speaks of an architectural genius unparalleled in its time, or ours. Furthermore, the Tiwanaku people, near the shimmering shores of Lake Titicaca, displayed advanced stone-working techniques. Their creations, such as the Pumapunku temple complex, exhibited a deep understanding of geometry, acoustics, and structural integrity, even at high altitudes.

Intertwined Legacies: Understanding the Broader Narrative

While each of these categories — progenitors, agriculturalists, urban planners, and architects — can be examined in isolation, it’s the collective narrative that they weave that truly encapsulates the essence of South America’s ancient civilizations. The journey from nomadic tribes to sprawling empires was not a linear one, but a dynamic dance of progress, setbacks, and rediscoveries.

The Moche’s intricate pottery, the Nazca’s vast geoglyphs, the Chachapoya’s mountaintop fortresses, and the Inca’s extensive road networks — all stem from a shared lineage. A lineage rooted in understanding the land they called home, respecting its bounty, and continuously innovating to enhance their symbiotic relationship with it.

1. The Inca Empire: The Land of the Four Corners

The Inca Empire, or Tawantinsuyu meaning ‘Land of the Four Corners’, was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. Established in the early 13th century, it expanded rapidly to cover parts of modern-day Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina, and Chile.