CARAL – SACRED CITY IN THE ANDES

200 kilometres north of today's Peruvian capital Lima lies the first real city in the Americas, which was built 5000 years ago.

Charismatic archaeologist Ruth Shady and her team of archaeologists explore the ancient cradle of Andean culture. They discover a peaceful civilisation with an inventive spirit. The now world-famous magnificent Inca buildings in Cuzco and Machu Picchu were based on Caral's architectural knowledge of how to build temples and fortresses earthquake-proof. Unlike many of its successor empires, Caral was successful without practising war and oppression. Women played a significant role in this. After 1000 years of prosperity, the desert metropolis was abandoned for reasons that have remained mysterious until now. Did ancient climate catastrophes seal Caral's downfall?