Skip to main content

Subscribe to Smithsonian magazine and get a FREE tote.

Peru

This carving is the first Nazca Line to be identified by artificial intelligence.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Identify 143 New Nazca Lines

The trove of newly documented geoglyphs includes a humanoid figure identified by artificial intelligence

New Research

Research Suggests Machu Picchu Was Purposely Built on Top of Intersecting Fault Lines

It’s believed the fissures produced chunks of cracked rock that aided in the construction of the city’s tightly fitted stone walls

Exterior of the church of Kuñotambo after conservation.

Pioneering Conservation Project Saves Earthquake-Damaged Peruvian Church

The work was part of a larger initiative to retrofit earthen buildings that are vulnerable to seismic activity

This geoglyph, previously identified as a hummingbird, actually depicts a hermit, a subgroup of hummingbird known to live in the forested regions of northern and eastern Peru

Scientists Identify Exotic Birds Depicted in Peru’s Mysterious Nazca Lines

The researchers argue that the non-native birds’ presence must be closely related to the etchings’ overall purpose

Trending Today

Archaeologists, Tour Operators, Locals Raise Alarm Over International Airport at Machu Picchu

They are petitioning the government to reconsider the project, which is planned to be completed by 2023

New Research

Beer Fueled Diplomacy in This Ancient Empire

Analysis shows a brewery at a Wari outpost in the mountains of southern Peru strengthened bonds with friends and neighbors

What Llama-Poop-Eating Mites Tell Us About the Rise and Fall of the Inca Empire

Lake-dwelling mite populations boomed at the height of the Andean civilization but dropped following the arrival of Spanish conquistadors

The Cahokia Mounds along the Mississippi River in Illinois is the site of the largest pre-Colombian Native American city built in the United States.

How the Remnants of Human Poop Could Help Archaeologists Study Ancient Populations

Undigested molecules persist in soil for hundreds or even thousands of years, acting as biomarkers that show the ebbs and flows of bygone civilizations

Vinicunca, the "Rainbow Mountain" in Peru

Trending Today

Peru’s Rainbow Mountain Could Be in Danger Following Surge in Popularity

Up to 1,000 tourists visit the colorful ridge every day. But this influx of people is eroding the nature

View of Trujillo between mountains and desert In Peru

Archaeologists Discover Site of One of History’s Largest-Recorded Incidents of Child Sacrifice

The excavation uncovered the remains of more than 140 children and 200 llamas, who were sacrificed some 550 years ago in Peru’s northern coast

Archaeologists Used Drones to Find New Ancient Drawings in Peru

About 50 new examples of the Nazca lines had been hiding in plain sight

Truck tracks on the Nasca lines

Trending Today

Truck Driver Leaves Tire Tracks Over Peru’s Ancient Nasca Lines

Three of the Unesco World Heritage site’s enigmatic glyphs were harmed, but authorities believe they can repair the damage

Cool Finds

Ancient Orca Geoglyph Rediscovered in Peru

Found on a hillside in the Palpa desert, the 200-foot image was likely made by peoples of the Paracas and Nazca cultures

Trending Today

Peru Cracks Down on Illegal Gold Miners

A boom in outlaw mining activity in the last five years is polluting rivers, poisoning people and destroying forests in the Peruvian Amazon

This 98-foot-long figure appears to represent an animal sticking out its tongue.

Cool Finds

“New” 2,000-Year-Old Geoglyph Spotted in Peru

There’s always more to learn about the mysterious Nazca lines

Smithsonian Journeys Travel Quarterly: Inca Road

Visit Machu Picchu With Google Street View

Armed with a backpack and 15 high-res cameras, Google just tackled one of the world’s wonders

Pacchanta's Maria Merma Gonzalo practices weaving techniques that have changed little in 500 years.

In a Small Village High in the Peruvian Andes, Life Stories Are Written in Textiles

Through weaving, the women of Ausangate, Peru, pass down the traditions of their ancestors

A Lima street vendor dishes up anticucho, grilled skewers that are traditionally prepared with marinated beef heart or tongue. It is a culinary tradition probably started by enslaved Africans here during the Spanish colonization.

Smithsonian Journeys Travel Quarterly: Inca Road

How Food Became Religion in Peru’s Capital City

Great cooking is what defines Lima today, but the culinary boom started decades ago, during a time of conflict

These islands in Peru are made by villagers, who form the "land" beneath their houses out of reeds.

Smithsonian Journeys Travel Quarterly: Inca Road

Visit These Floating Peruvian Islands Constructed From Plants

The Uro people who live on Lake Titicaca have been building their own villages by hand for centuries

The Skylodge with the sun peeking over the mountains.

Smithsonian Journeys Travel Quarterly: Inca Road

Sleep With the Condors at This Peruvian Hotel Hanging Off a Cliff

The cliffside Skylodge hotel dangles 1,300 feet above the ground

Page 4 of 5