Pernil Alto

Pernil Alto, located in the Rio Grande District of Palpa province in Peru's Ica Region, is the oldest known inland and sedentary agricultural village in the Central Andes. Initially occupied around 3800 BCE, the site showcases the evolution from a hunter-gatherer society to an agrarian one over 800 years. By 3300 BCE, agriculture had become the main source of sustenance, with crops such as sweet potatoes and lima beans being cultivated. The site includes semi-subterranean dwellings, fireplaces, and storage pits, indicating a shift to a sedentary lifestyle with permanent structures. The village was abandoned around 2900 BCE, likely due to environmental changes. Pernil Alto provides invaluable insights into early agricultural practices in the Andes.