Lauricocha

archaeological site, Peru

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June 30, 2026

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Lauricocha is an archaeological site in the Andes Mountains of central Peru, located at an elevation of 12,615 feet (3,845 meters). It is situated near the northernmost of a chain of glacier-fed lakes. Evidence suggests human occupation in the caves at Lauricocha dating back to nearly 8000 BCE, with hunters using small leaf-shaped points. These caves were used as summer camps for hunters of deer and camelids.12

The broader region of the Andes developed diverse kingdoms for thousands of years before the Spanish arrival in 1532. These civilizations are often referred to collectively as a single Andean civilization due to their artistic and technological achievements and historical continuity. Archaeologists categorize these pre-Inca periods by descriptive terms, including the Late Preceramic period, during which Lauricocha was occupied.23

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pre-Columbian civilizations
The Late Preceramic
The caves at Lauricocha at about 13,000 feet in the central Andes, which had been occupied by deer and camelid hunters since nearly 8000 bce, were still used, at least as summer camps, by hunters who employed small leaf-shaped points. Gourds, squash, cotton, and lucuma, with seed plants…
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The caves at Lauricocha at about 13,000 feet in the central Andes, which had been occupied by deer and camelid hunters since nearly 8000 bce, were still used, at least as summer camps, by hunters who employed small leaf-shaped points. Gourds, squash, cotton, and lucuma, with seed plants…
Read More