Peru was the birthplace of Andean civilization, with its U shaped temples - notably Chavin de Huantar, c. 2500BC. The Moche and the Nazca civilizations were contemporary with each other c. AD 1-700. Remarkable textiles made in southern Peru survive in extremely well preserved states. Nazca pottery is considered the finest preserved polychrome pottery in all antiquity. In Northern Peru, ceramics and metal-work traditions were the outstanding artistic achievement. The Inca started building their empire around AD1200 and, by the late 1300’s, stretched from middle Chile up through Ecuador and even into parts of present day Colombia.