Julio C. Tello

Peruvian archaeologist who rediscovered pre-Inca civilizations

Dr.Julio César Tello (1880-1947), the first indigenous archaeologist of the Americas, revolutionized understanding of Andean civilizations. His 1919 excavation at Chavín de Huántar revealed the oldest known urban culture in Peru (1200 BCE), predating the Inca by 2,500 years.

Tello's hydro-archaeological theory demonstrated how ancient cultures developed through watershed management. By mapping 1,800km of pre-Columbian canals, he proved the Nazca Lines were part of a giant underground aqueduct system - overturning decades of 'alien theory' pseudoscience.

As director of Peru's National Museum (1924-1947), he recovered 40,000 artifacts looted during the Pacific War. His ethnogenetic classification system identified 17 distinct pre-Hispanic cultures through textile patterns analysis. The Tello Obelisk at Chavín remains a crucial artifact for studying early Andean cosmology.