http://video.stumbleupon.com/#p=qclt7hd17k

BBC documentry on these lost pyramids. intresting video.
whats your thoughts.

This is a beautiful example of a seemingly 'lost city' coming to light in a region which was originally ignored as being a site of minimal interest. Caral was 'discovered' by Paul Kosok, but received little attention as the site produced almost no items of antiquity, it was not until the more recent findings of Ruth Shady that the full extent of what the area has to offer to the world of Archeology. Caral is jut one of many settlements spread throughout the Supe Valley in Peru, but is by far the largest and may offer an insight to the origins of civilization throughout the Andes including the Inca Empire. Evidence suggests that Caral was part of a vast trading complex reaching the coast and possibly the Amazon as depictions of monkeys have been found. It is not known what brought an end to the Supe Valley civilisation, although the area lacks any signs of warfare such as battlements, towers or even an armed force as no weapons or armor have been found. There are no signs of a violent downfall to the area as no signs of battle are evident such as wounded or mutilated bodies. Not only was this an area of peace but also one of pleasure, with evidence of drug use and also aphrodisiacs . Hopefully Caral will have much more to offer to the world in the near future.

Very interesting find. But I'm not certain that warfare was the 'driving force' behind the need for building great cities. Trade is more likely, IMO.



Hmm...well, Las Vegas started as a sleepy little rest spot for US troops en route to the West Coast during WWII. And it grew to be a majesitc metropolis, too.

"It has all happened before, and it will happen again..."

It just goes to show you how much we DON'T know about our once beautiful Earth. *sighs* I love that cliche BigDaddy.

I like Caral, I think. After the infant's body was identified as a natural death, it seemed to really perturb Haas. A city centred on trade really doesn't seem like such a huge suprise as they've made it out to be. And it was isolated, as well... which would give it even less of a warring history regardless, wouldn't it? Haas seemed bent on finding warfare in its history.

Why? Why is the Pyramid such a common structure in ancient times???? They couldnt just simply copy each other could they?

Maybe it's based on beliefs? I'm not sure how the other cultures placed their pyramids, but the Egyptian's used the night sky to lay the cornerstones of their pyramids.

because it is the easiest way to build higher than your neighbour. They also resemble those 'sacred mountains' everyone likes.

"The fact is that building a pyramid is fairly easy, aside from the lifting. You just pile up stones in receding layers, placing one layer carefully upon another, and pretty soon you have a pyramid. You can't help it. In other words, it is not in the nature of a pyramid to fall down…"

- Will Cuppy, The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody, 1950

Their downfall probably wasn't 'violent'; their conquerors just walked in, lined the hippies up and marched them off to slavery....

Lost pyramids of the Amazon. Seems everyone feels there are some good ones there somewhere.