Caral, the Moon, and the River in the Preceramic Andes

The settlements of the Supe society, with Caral as its most prominent

and known example, display a number of interesting characteristics.

The buildings of these settlements appear to be oriented in such a way

that they include references to not only the local landscape, notably the

Supe Valley floor, but also the sky, notably the Moon. In this chapter, we

address this phenomenology and try to answer the question of whether

the inhabitants of this valley had a choice among the different possible

orientations of the river flow. The answer provides an interesting result

that might also be applied to other riverine cultures, such as ancient

Egypt and its river, the Nile.

Caral. Preceramic Andes. Moon. River. Landscape. Skyscape.