South America before European colonization

The Paracas (c. 800 B.C.E. – 100 C.E.) culture immediately preceded and gave rise to the Nasca (c. 100 C.E. – 800 C.E.) on the southern coast of modern-day Peru. The dry conditions preserved a remarkable number of naturally-mummified burials, along with the textiles, ceramics, featherwork, jewelry, and other goods that honored the dead.