ABSTRACT

The west coast of South America offers a beautiful but formidable landscape. A narrow strip of desert hugs the coast, while roughly 100 kilometers inland the Andes begin their rise to peaks that reach over 6,500 meters. Rivers originating in the snow-covered peaks created deep valleys where humans settled, domesticated plants and animals, and developed material cultures, religions, and buildings that are today known as the ancient cultures of the Andes.