General presentation

Pikimachay (“cave of chip”) is an archeological site located in the valley of Ayacucho at the Peru. The site reveals the obviousness of one of the oldest human presences in South America (with those of Monte Verde with the Chile and Pedra Furada with the Brésil). The analysis with radiocarbon 14 of the various found elements (artefacts and bones of animals) has made it possible to date the human presence for at least 22.000 years.

The worked objects discovered in the archeological site include basalt tools, flint tools and projectiles as well as points of cuts in front. These points of projectiles were associated with bones of équidés (equus Andium), lazy giants such as Megatherium and Mylodon, of terrible carnivores such as let us smilodons or tigers with the teeth of sabers and of camélidés or paléo-spangled of the family of the Guanaco.

These Paléoaméricains, called " The Man of Pacaicasa" or " Hombre de Pacaicasa" , lived in the sector at the same time as horses found in the site, according to the research carried out by the archeologist Richard Mac Neish who named these Paléoaméricains thus.

External bonds

• http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/archaeology/sites/south_america/fleacave.html

• http://www.eumed.net/libros/2005/ak1/1m.htm