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Photo credit: Sharon odb
4、Norte Chico Civilization
北方奇科文明
Beginning with its arrival during the third millennium B.C. and lasting for over 1,200 years, the Norte Chico civilization dominated South America as the oldest sophisticated culture on the continent. Named for the region of present-day Peru which they occupied, they had 20 major cities, with advanced architecture and agriculture making up a large portion of their settlements. They also developed intricate irrigation systems, sophistication which was unheard of in the Americas at that time.
Artifacts recognizable as religious symbols have been found throughout the area, especially near the stone pyramids for which the Norte Chico civilization is famous. There is some debate over whether or not they qualify as a civilization, as well as what that term even means. Usually, indicators like a form of art and a sense of urbanization are key, but the Norte Chico civilization possessed neither of these. Whatever the case, there is no denying that they were an influence on later South American cultures, such as the Chavin civilization, which began a few hundred years after the fall of the Norte Chicos.
从开始一直持续了1200年的北方奇科文明是南美洲大陆最古老的文明，今天秘鲁大部分国土都是他们曾经统治的地方，他们拥有20个城镇，先进的农业和建筑业技术。他们也开发出当时的美洲闻所未闻的复杂的灌溉系统。在整个区域发现了很多被当做宗教标记的工艺品，特别是在靠近以北方奇科文明著称的石头金字塔发现的更多。对于是否把他们当作一种文明仍然有一些争论，究竟文明这个词意味着什么。通常，艺术形式和城市化可以视作文明的标记，但是北方奇科文明没有这些标记。不管怎么说，不可否认的事他们对于后来的南美洲文明有着巨大的影响，比如恰文文明，恰文文明在北方奇科文明结束之后又持续了数百年。
