Aspero


Aspero, a Late Preceramic site on the central coast of Peru, is a significant archaeological complex linked to the Caral-Supe civilization, flourishing from before 3000 BCE to around 1800 BCE. Its location near the Supe River suggests a key role in providing fisheries to support the inland city of Caral, approximately 25 kilometers up-valley.

⭐ In the context of the Caral-Supe civilization, Aspero is considered…

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⭐ Core Definition: Aspero

Aspero is a well-studied Late Preceramic site archaeological complex located near the mouth of the Supe River, south of Supe Puerto, on the central coast of Peru. It forms part of the ancient Caral-Supe civilization and was occupied during the Late Archaic period, from before 3000 BCE to around 1800 BCE. It is connected culturally to the ancient city of Caral, located 25 km up-valley, for which it presumably served as a major fishery. The site covers an area of approximately 14 hectares (35 acres) and features numerous temples or huacas, of which the most prominent are the Huaca Alta, the Huaca de los ídolos and the Huaca de los Sacrificios. Remains of human sacrifice have been found in the latter, dated to about 4500 years ago.

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In the context of the Caral-Supe civilization, Aspero is considered…
HINT: Archaeological evidence indicates Aspero’s location near the Supe River and its connection to Caral suggests it functioned as a significant fishery, providing essential resources to the inland city.

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Aspero in the context of Caral–Supe

Caral–Supe (also known as Caral and Norte Chico) was a complex pre-Columbian era society that included as many as thirty major population centers in what is now the Caral region of north-central coastal Peru. The civilization flourished between the fourth and second millennia BCE, with the formation of the first city generally dated to around 3500 BCE, at Huaricanga, in the Fortaleza area. From 3100 BCE onward, large-scale human settlement and communal construction become clearly apparent. This lasted until a period of decline around 1800 BCE. Since the early 21st century, it has been recognized as the oldest-known civilization in America, and as one of the six sites where civilization separately originated in the ancient world.

This civilization flourished along three rivers, the Fortaleza, the Pativilca, and the Supe. These river valleys each have large clusters of sites. Farther south, there are several associated sites along the Huaura River. The name Caral–Supe is derived from the city of Caral in the Supe Valley, a large and well-studied Caral–Supe site.

View the full Wikipedia page for Caral–Supe
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