This is a chart of the Peruvian cultural periods used by archaeologist studying the area. Most of the cultures of the Late Horizon and some of the cultures of the Late Intermediate joined the Inca empire by 1493, but the period ends in 1534 because that marks the fall of the Inca empire after the Spanish conquest. Most of the cut-off years mark either an end of a severe drought or the begining of one. These marked a shift of the most productive farming to or from the mountains, and tended to mark the end of one culture and the rise of another.

Period	Dates	Cultures
Ceramic
Late Horizon	1476 CE - 1534 CE	Cajamarca , Chancay , Chachapoyas, Chincha , Chiribaya, Chucuito , Huaman Huilca , Inca, Ilo , Qotu Qotu , Pacacocha , Palli Marca , Piura, Sican, Tajaraca
Late Intermediate	1000 CE - 1476 CE	Huari, Chimú, Cajamarca , Gorbanzai , Piura
Middle Horizon	600 CE - 1000 CE	Moche, Nazca, Huari, Tiwanaku, Piura, Gorbanzai
Early Intermediate	200 CE - 600 CE	Moche, Nazca, Tiwanaku, Pichiche , Sechura , Gorbanzai
Early Horizon	900 BCE - 200 CE	Chavín, Cubisnique , Late Chiripa , Paracas , Pichiche , Sechura
Initial Period	1800/1500 BCE - 900 BCE	Early Chiripa, Kotosh, Toríl (The Cumbe Mayo aqueduct was built c. 1000 BCE.)
Preceramic
Period VI	2500 BCE - 1500/1800 BCE	Casavilca , Culebras , Viscachani , Huaca Prieta
Period V	4200 BCE - 2500 BCE	Honda , Lauricocha III , Viscachani
Period IV	6000 BCE - 4200 BCE	Ambo , Canario , Siches , Lauricocha II , Luz , Toquepala II
Period III	8000 BCE - 6000 BCE	Arenal , Chivateros II , Lauricocha I , Playa Chira , Puyenca , Toquepala I
Period II	9500 BCE - 8000 BCE	Chivateros I , Lauricocha I
Period I	? BCE - 9500 BCE	Oquendo , Red Zone (central coast)