Before the Incas: Navigating Archaeological Sites of Coastal Peru

For visitors to Trujillo, Lima, and Pisco/Paracas/Nasca along Peru's Pacific coast, this guide fills a gap among travel guides by providing detailed information for 12 archaeological sites of six pre-Inca cultures that are often overlooked by visitors. Organized geographically from north to south--except for the first section that focuses on Caral, the oldest urban civilization in the Americas--Dr. Montgomery discusses the history, culture, and achievements of the Moche, Chimú, Lima, Ischma, and Nasca cultures, in addition to providing detailed visitor information for each site. After the section on Caral, the Trujillo region is the first stop with a focus on the Moche sites of Huaca de la Luna and El Brujo along with the Chimú sites of Chan Chan and Huaca Arcoiris. In the greater Lima area, four sites belonging to the Lima culture (Pachacamac, Huaca Pucllana, Huallamarca, and Cajamarquilla) and two Ischma culture sites (Puruchuco and Mateo Salado) are discussed. There is also a section on the Larco museum, home to the greatest collection of Moche art in the world. The last stop is Nasca, with information for those wishing to arrange flights over the Nasca lines. The guide includes general tips for visitors to Peru with specific information for cruise ship passengers docking at Salaverry (Trujillo), Callao (Lima) and Puerto San Martín (Paracas). There is also a three-page list of useful Spanish phrases with pronunciation guide.