Huaca Prieta

Huaca Prieta is the site of an Andean preceramic settlement along the Pacific Ocean in the Chicama Valley, just north of Trujillo, La Libertad Province [1]. It is a part of the El Brujo Archaeological Complex, which also includes sites of the Moche culture [1]. The inhabitants fished, gathered shellfish, and grew fruit, gourds, squash, peppers, beans, tubers and, importantly, cotton [1]. In 2016, 6000-year-old dyed cotton fabric was discovered at the Preceramic site of Huaca Prieta [1]. This marks the earliest recorded use of cotton worldwide [1]. Analysis of the pigment used on the cloth identified it as indigotin, an indigoid dye [1]. This marks the earliest recorded use of indigo dye to date, predating the use of indigo in Egypt's Fifth Dynasty by about 1,500 years [1].