The Mystery of the Andes -- Searching for the Land of Gold

Author: Edited by Chen Xuesong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: The volumes of "Lost Civilizations" showcase the trajectory of the emergence and early transformation of civilizations, long forgotten by later generations. Reading them is like adults revisiting old photographs of their childhood—each scene evokes a faint recollection. This series of books can be enjoyed as an art album while also serving as a reference for travelers to various parts of the world, helping them understand the must-see historical sites and scenic spots. As early as 1500 BCE, artists in the southern Andes region of Peru may have already begun crafting gold items. Over the following centuries, their metallurgical techniques spread to the northern and central coastal regions, the northern Andes mountains, the Panama isthmus, and the northern regions. It is almost certain that the ancestors of these people were immigrants who arrived in the Americas 12,000 years ago via the Bering Land Bridge connecting Asia and North America. Their metallurgical craftsmanship reached a high level both in technology and art. Before the Spanish conquerors arrived in South America in the early 16th century, many cultures in the New World had flourished at one time and then perished, either due to natural disasters or conquest by other peoples.