The+Paracas+Civilization

“Sand falling like rain” sounds pretty poetic, doesn’t it? This is the translation for the Quechua word para-ako, which creates the word Paracas. The Paracas Civilization was a thriving group of people who resided in Southern Peru from 600-150 B.C.E. They inhabited a peninsula 200 km south of modern-day Lima. Before the Paracas people came to be, the Chavin culture occupied the majority of Peru. These people were the first astronomers; they built large temples to observe the stars and other astronomical elements. They believed that by observing these elements, they could predict patterns in the thriving of agriculture. The Paracas Civilization adopted and further developed many key points from the Chavin culture. Art, farming, and burials were all very important to the Paracas people.

Art is one of the most critical aspects of this culture. Pottery was influential to the culture of the area. During the time of the Paracas people, there were 2 main subgroups. The timeframes were broken down into Paracas Cavernas and Paracas Necropolis. The namings change with the development of the pottery around the area. Along with pottery, the Paracas people are known for their weaving. Using cotton and different camelid materials, they made beautiful tapestries and blankets. To stylize these pieces of art, they dyed them with the 190+ colors of dye they created. These masterpieces were denoted as signs of wealth within the civilization. The art of the Paracas Civilization greatly shaped their culture and their impact on Peru today.

In order to keep the civilization thriving, the Paracas had to do more than create art. To sustain their people, they farmed. The main crop of these people was cotton. The people of the time also depended on mostly fish for their diet. Maize, beans, red peppers, yuca, and peanuts were also farmed for food. Due to the discoveries of the Chavin culture before them, the Paracas Civilization was at the forefront of agricultural techniques.

Not only were the Paracas famous for their art and farming techniques, they also had renowned burial practices. Along with the aforementioned subgroups being influenced by the art periods, they were also named after the burial practices of the times. Cavernas translates to “caves,” which is how they buried their dead during the time of the Paracas Cavernas. They dug small caves and mummified their dead with small trinkets. Necropolis means “city of the dead,” which is displayed by the 420 bodies that were found at a burial site in the 1920s. By the time of the Paracas Necropolis, the people understood more about the journey to the afterlife. Due to this new information, they prepared the bodies for their travels in a more fashionable way, dressing them up with jewelry and weavings.

Attributed to the proximity of the Paracas Civilization to modern-day Lima, the Paracas had a very large impact on the culture of Peru. Many artisans today attempt to recreate the beautiful pottery and weavings of this ancient culture. The farming techniques used by this civilization are the basis of the ones still used today. While the Paracas Civilization may have come to an end in 150 B.C.E, the legacy of this culture will remain in Peru forever.

By: Taylor Brown