Prehistoric Raised Field Agriculture in the Casma Valley, Peru

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Investigations in the Casma Valley, Peru resulted in identification of a complex of prehispanic raised agricultural fields and a prehistoric settlement of agricultural workers established and maintained by the Chimu Empire (A.C. 900–1470), the largest Andean state prior to the Inca. Fieldwork documented that the raised fields 1) covered a maximum of 439 ha, 2) dated from the later phases of Chimu imperial expansion (A.C. 1300–1470), 3) served to reclaim boggy land) and 4) required fewer than 600 man-years to build. The raised fields represent one aspect of the Chimu Empire's involvement in agricultural production.