Long before the rise of the Inca Empire, the deserts, mountains, and sacred valleys of Peru were home to some of the most extraordinary civilizations on Earth. Hidden beneath shifting sands and towering Andean peaks stood colossal pyramids, vast ceremonial cities, astronomical observatories, and mysterious temples aligned to the heavens. From the ancient metropolis of Caral—one of the oldest cities in the world—to the shadowed galleries of Chavín de Huántar and the enigmatic Nazca Lines etched across the desert floor, Ancient Peru reveals a forgotten world of innovation, spirituality, and monumental ambition.Blending archaeology, mythology, astronomy, engineering, and cultural history, this book explores the rise of the great civilizations of the Andes and the sacred landscapes they created. Discover the cosmic priesthoods who studied the stars, the builders who raised pyramids before Egypt reached its height, the powerful empires that shaped the mountains of South America, and the enduring mysteries that continue to captivate researchers and explorers today. Ancient Peru: Pyramids and Sky Temples is a journey into one of humanity's oldest and most awe-inspiring civilizations—a world where stone, sky, and spirit were bound together in the heart of the Andes.

Long before the rise of the Inca Empire, the deserts, mountains, and sacred valleys of Peru were home to some of the most extraordinary civilizations on Earth. Hidden beneath shifting sands and towering Andean peaks stood colossal pyramids, vast ceremonial cities, astronomical observatories, and mysterious temples aligned to the heavens. From the ancient metropolis of Caral—one of the oldest cities in the world—to the shadowed galleries of Chavín de Huántar and the enigmatic Nazca Lines etched across the desert floor, Ancient Peru reveals a forgotten world of innovation, spirituality, and monumental ambition.Blending archaeology, mythology, astronomy, engineering, and cultural history, this book explores the rise of the great civilizations of the Andes and the sacred landscapes they created. Discover the cosmic priesthoods who studied the stars, the builders who raised pyramids before Egypt reached its height, the powerful empires that shaped the mountains of South America, and the enduring mysteries that continue to captivate researchers and explorers today. Ancient Peru: Pyramids and Sky Temples is a journey into one of humanity's oldest and most awe-inspiring civilizations—a world where stone, sky, and spirit were bound together in the heart of the Andes.

Long before the rise of the Inca Empire, the deserts, mountains, and sacred valleys of Peru were home to some of the most extraordinary civilizations on Earth. Hidden beneath shifting sands and towering Andean peaks stood colossal pyramids, vast ceremonial cities, astronomical observatories, and mysterious temples aligned to the heavens. From the ancient metropolis of Caral—one of the oldest cities in the world—to the shadowed galleries of Chavín de Huántar and the enigmatic Nazca Lines etched across the desert floor, Ancient Peru reveals a forgotten world of innovation, spirituality, and monumental ambition.Blending archaeology, mythology, astronomy, engineering, and cultural history, this book explores the rise of the great civilizations of the Andes and the sacred landscapes they created. Discover the cosmic priesthoods who studied the stars, the builders who raised pyramids before Egypt reached its height, the powerful empires that shaped the mountains of South America, and the enduring mysteries that continue to captivate researchers and explorers today. Ancient Peru: Pyramids and Sky Temples is a journey into one of humanity's oldest and most awe-inspiring civilizations—a world where stone, sky, and spirit were bound together in the heart of the Andes.