Sacred City of Caral-Supe
The 5,000-year-old archaeological site of Caral-Supe is a 626-hectare site located on a dry desert terrace overlooking the green valley of the Supe River. Dating back to the Late Archaic period in the Central Andes, it is the oldest center of civilization in the Americas. The site is well-preserved and impressive for the complexity of its design and architecture, especially its massive stone and earthen platforms and sunken circular courtyards. Caral is one of 18 urban settlements located in the same area, with complex and magnificent architecture, including six large pyramid structures. Knots (a system of knots used in Andean civilizations to record information) found on the site attest to the development and complexity of Caral society. The planning of the city and some of its components, including pyramid structures and elite residences, clearly indicate ceremonial functions, suggesting a strong religious ideology.