LIMA CULTURE

According to the archaeological reserches, specially the study of the pottery found in the area, it had been identified two cultural areas in the central coast of Peru between year 200 b.C and 100 a.C.: the first one at the north of Chillón river, where the people settle down and developed what the archaeologists have named "Baños Boza o Miramar" these present a style same as Salinar culture, and the other one at the south of Chillon river, which is more like Paracas Necropolis culture. Around 100 a.C. and until the 700 approximately it is recognized a unique way called Lima, spread through the valleys formed by Chillon, Chancay, Rímac and Lurín rivers.

CULTUAL INFLUENCE
From IV and V centuries after Christ Lima acquires prestige and it has been copied along the central coast of Peru. But it is apparent that in many cultural patterns of this era were also a marked influence from other kind of traditions from the coast. This shows that the contact with other cultures and regions get increased substantially.

ENVIRONMENT
The central coast area, where the people of Lima culture settle down, enjoys a benign weather, not as hot as the north or south are, but more humid and inclines towards to temperature changes, and microclimate formations.

It is important to notice the presence of complementaries microclimates: the valleys, the sea, marshs, same as coast knolls were used by the people of the are to survive.

ORGANIZATION
The cementerios and a number of buries found in the area show us, these were territorial communities, organized in nucleus of large families. In the other hand, there were found weapons as funeral oblations, and the presence of shelters protected by great walls in the highest areas of the mountains suggest this people had severe conflicts.

Further, during their apogee time, there were build the main ceremonial centers, and it is notorious the presence of a political power centralized capable of call up hundreds of people for public work. It is hard to determinate the end of this culture, it maybe because the growth of the Huari culture, they started to take the main sites of the Lima's.

POTTERY
The ceramics had been an important characteristic to rebuild the evolution of Lima culture, same as the contact net developed in the area. In the first stages, it is clear the influence of Salinar and Paracas Necropolis culures. During heydays, emerges a peculiar style based in geometric designs which represented crested snakes with triangular heads, although some experts consider that the origin of this representation is at the north area of the mountains with the Recuay culture.

ARCHITECTURE
The researchers know two stages in the develop of Lima culture. The first is called "Playa Grande" or "Interlocking", in this, it is distinguish the temples of "Cerro Culebra", in riverside of Chillon river, and the Trinidad hill in Chancay, with amazing murals.

The second stage is called Maringa, it is when the first monumental public buildings were built. The highest pyramids had compounds and galleries in the highest areas, joined through roads protected by walls and ramps, these represented deposits and other specially design for production purposes. These edifications were built with small flat mud bricks, laid as shelving; it was also used pressing mud.

The Maranga archaeological site, distinguish as the most important built in the lower side of the Rimac river. Other important centers were Pucllana, Pachacamac, but the most relevant was Cajamarquilla extended over 167 hectares.