How disasters doomed early Americans

[foxfeet]

Quakes, floods and sand killed off civilization in Peru

updated 9:39 a.m. PT, Tues., Jan. 20, 2009
WASHINGTON - Nature turned against one of America’s early civilizations 3,600 years ago, when researchers say earthquakes and floods, followed by blowing sand, drove away residents of an area that is now in Peru.

“This maritime farming community had been successful for over 2,000 years, they had no incentive to change, and then all of a sudden, boom, they just got the props knocked out from under them,” anthropologist Mike Moseley of the University of Florida said in a statement

More at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28752630/

[Judi Lynn]

1. Came here to post a UPI article on this, but yours is better. Very interesting.

Demise of early Peruvians discovered
Published: Jan. 21, 2009 at 3:13 PMOrder reprints | Feedback
GAINESVILLE, Fla., Jan. 21 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say a series of earthquakes followed by torrential rains caused the demise of coastal Peruvians more than 3,600 years ago.

"This maritime-farming community had been successful for over 2,000 years … and then all of a sudden, 'boom,'" said University of Florida Professor Mike Moseley. "They just got the props knocked out from under them."

Moseley is one of five authors of a paper to appear in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The people of the Supe Valley along the central Peruvian coast flourished for about 2,000 years in the arid desert plain adjacent to productive bays and estuaries by fishing, irrigating fruit orchards and growing cotton and vegetables.

But approximately 3,600 years ago, an enormous earthquake or series of earthquakes struck, destabilizing the mountain ranges surrounding the valley, sending massive amounts of debris crashing into the foothills, the scientists said. Subsequent El Ninos brought torrential rains, washing the debris into the ocean.

More:
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/01/21/Demise_of_early_Peruvians_discovered/UPI-49091232568833/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your link has a link to an excellent earlier article on Caral:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15350058/

This news only moves a person to try to find out more about this area. Thanks.

[L. Coyote]

2. Give this title a Google search:

Early Monumental Architecture of the Peruvian Coast

There are lots of Google Earth placemark links there too!

[foxfeet]

4. Thanks, I'll check that out when I have a block of uninterrupted time.

[Judi Lynn]

5. Breathtaking. What a find. Saved it for own files within seconds after seeing only part-way down the

page.

Really looking forward to examining this, and sharing it, too.

Thank you for the opportunity.

[foxfeet]

3. Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for your UPI article.

The more info the better!