Ancient civilizations in Bolivia had a flourishing agriculture

Wonderful, resourceful people lived in the southern part of Bolivia between the 13th and 15th centuries. They left a legacy of countless fields of “quinoa”, a plant grown as a crop of cereals, which was used 3000 to 4000 years ago as food in the area of ​​Lake Titicaca in Peru and Bolivia.
Researchers from the French National Center for Scientific Research discovered 48 objects containing more than 4,500 ancient granaries that were used to store quinoa. All these granaries were found in the area of ​​60 x 40 km.
These people lived at a great height over 3,700 meters above sea level, in the southern altiplano. At that time (1200-1450 AD) there was a very dry and cold climate. How could these ancient people succeed in producing their agricultural goods in such a hostile environment?
“This can only be explained by the development of very specific and detailed ecological knowledge aimed at mastering the set of agricultural methods by this pre-Hispanic society,” said ecologist Richard Geoffrey.
The researchers found very few traces of irrigation systems. The production here was based on a non-irrigated agricultural system, something remarkable in these arid conditions.
Moreover, according to Pablo Cruz, an anthropologist with CONICET, “the distribution of granaries at sites and the management of agricultural lands all point to an uncentralized agrarian system.” We did not find any significant signs of centralization of power or the presence of the ruling elite.
Thierry Winckel, an ecologist with the IRD, points out that – “similar production systems are still being used in the indigenous communities of the southern altiplane in Bolivia today, providing producers with social and productive sustainability in the current climate and socio-economic changes.