Thread by @seconds_0

We think of the Aztecs and Incas as so old, but the Aztec civilization is younger than Oxford. Incans didnt exist until the 1200s.

There is extensive archeological remains of Peruvian civilizations (the Caral) existing in 3000 BC, predating the Incans by 4000 years

That's contemporaneous with 4th Dynasty Egypt, the pyramid builders.
They were a lowland river society with satellite villages on the coast. They lacked ceramics entirely, but had sophisticated cotton farming for production of fishing nets and were dependent on seafood.

In 3000 BC, they had extensive trade networks - fancy shells from ecuador, dyes from andean highlands, hallucinogenic snuff from the amazon.

They worshiped the Staff God. This was found carved on a gourd in Caral, and imagery repeated throughout south american culture

There is no record of any kind of warfare at Caral for a thousand years. No multilated bodies, burned buildings, or other tell tale signs of violence. All settlement patterns are completely non-defensive. No walls or forts.

A thriving civilization without warfare is odd.

They were massive builders with an enormous density of large sites. It was likely the most densely populated area in the entire world in the third millennium.

Small scale terracing, large scale platform mound masonry. Were talking dozens of massive step pyramids on 100s of acres

This is main pyramid at Caral-Supe. 520'x490', rising 59' tall.

It was occupied from 2600bc to ~2000bc when the Caral civilization collapsed. It was briefly occupied around 1000bc and from 900-1440ad, but with very few people on the outskirts. It was rediscovered in 1977.

Technological differences from Eurasian ancient civs are vast.

Total lack of ceramics is unique and accompanies lack of archeological visible art. They do no sculpture, no carving, no bas relief, and very little painting / drawing. Interiors are completely bare.

What they do have is huge structures and enormous amounts of textiles. Quipu - string recording devices - suggest proto-writing existed. Large numbers of instruments - in particular 32 pelican bone flutes. Textile art would be less likely to survive 5000 years and is unsurprising

Unlike 4th Century egyptian pyramid construction, theres no question or controversy around Carals pyramid construction method. Quarried stone small enough to transport and gathered field stone were moved in reed bags, of which extensive evidence is preserved.

These 'shicra bags' made of a long, very durable grass from the highlands, were filled with rocks and packed into retaining wall trenches in the step pyramids, hauled by hand.

There is some evidence that dried anchovies were used as currency and paid to hauling workers.