South America to c. 1500

Cupisnique

1800 - 400 B.C.E.

This culture flourished on the coast of Peru, producing art that reaches back more than 3500 years.

Chavín culture

900 – 200 B.C.E.

Chavín de Huántar is an important archaeological site in the mountains of Peru with a massive temple complex that contains a fifteen-foot carved stone likely seen only by priests.

Nasca

1 - 700 C.E.

The Nasca people inhabited one of the driest regions of the world. They made geoglyphs that are among the world’s largest drawings.

Moche culture

200 - 900 C.E.

Moche architects and artists raised spectacular adobe pyramids. Their ceramics and jewelry are naturalistic and rich in imagery, inviting us to explore their world.

Chimú culture

950 - 1470 C.E.

Luxury goods abounded in the Kingdom of Chimor, which controlled parts of the northern Peruvian coast for several centuries.

Sicán culture

800 - 1250 C.E.

The Sicán culture was located on the north coast of Peru, and is sometimes referred to as Lambayeque.

Inka

1438 - 1532 C.E.

• View all content

Inka textiles, ceramics and architecture all reflect the power and ambition of their extensive empire.

Ancient Colombian Chiefdoms

c.500 B.C.E. - c.1600 C.E.

The Quimbaya and Tairona cultures from what is today Colombia used gold not as currency, but to assert the semi-divine status of their rulers.