Around the World September 1, 2011
PERU: In Lake Marcacocha, scientists have discovered a key to the rise of Inca civilization: llama dung. In lake sediments, maize pollen appears around 2,700 years ago, along with a rise in mites that feed on animal dung—coinciding with the earliest stages of Andean chiefdoms. The fertilizer would have been important for the cultivation of maize at high altitude, which led to food surpluses that helped fuel
complex societies.
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Peru’s ancient farmers used intricate rock maps to plan for the future
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Discovering the true origins of an enigmatic mile-long pattern in Peru’s coastal desert
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How diverse and far-flung Iron Age chiefdoms united to challenge the Assyrian Empire
Features November/December 2026
Life behind the scenes in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings
Features November/December 2026
In Denmark, archaeologists have discovered a massive factory that equipped an innovative fleet
Features November/December 2026
Did artists 12,000 years ago illuminate a cave in Tajikistan with their vision of the Milky Way?
Features November/December 2026
New discoveries challenge ancient prophecies about the peoples living on China’s borders three millennia ago
