History of Peru

PRE-HISPANIC PERU

Peru is one of the major original cradles of ancient cultures, together with Mexico, Mesopotamia, India and China. During Paleolithic times, Peruvian peoples started to develop hunter-gatherer villages towards 6000 b. C. and left their first remains in settlements such as Lauricocha in Huanuco. Towards 2500 b. C., agricultural settlements were formed and farming of manioc, lima beans, quinoa, potatoes, cotton and corn started. Peruvian history is divided in five stages until the arrival of Spanish conquerors: