5/9/09

THE LOST PYRAMIDS OF CARAL


The magnificent ancient city of pyramids at Caral in Peru hit the headlines in 2001. The site is a thousand years older than the earliest known civilisation in the Americas and, at 2,627 BC, is as old as the pyramids of Egypt. Many now believe it is the fabled missing link of archaeology - a 'mother city'. If so, then these extraordinary findings could finally answer one of the great questions of archaeology: why did humans become civilised? A lot has been discussed since this was put out. From Seattle Times (December 23, 2004): "A Peruvian site previously reported as the oldest city in the Americas actually is a much larger complex of as many as 20 cities with huge pyramids and sunken plazas sprawled over three river valleys, researchers report." Construction began in 3000 B.C (300-400 years before the people of Kemet/Egypt began the Pyramid of Djoser). These cities flourished peacefully for more than 1,200 years