Contisuyu is the southwest quadrant of the old Incan Empire. While the name meant nothing in pre-Incan eras, this land had been settled for a long time.

The most well-known civilization of the Contisuyu is the Nazca, due to those enigmatic lines carved into the dry plateau terrain.

The Paracas cultures preceded the Nazca. There are more than one of these, but the dominant region appears to be on the Paracas peninsula from which they take their name, although they also resided in the Pisco and in the Ica valleys. The Paracas peninsula has yielded two important residential sites to date, plus several cemetaries. The two main sites are referred to as Cerro Colorado and Arenas Blancas. Also, by investigating the cemetaries, researchers have discerned two different pre-historic cultures in these lands, separated by chronology rather than geography. The Cavernas culture is distinguished by polychrome pottery where the coloration was applied after firing. Topara pottery is distinguished by being very thin, finely-created, and colored in monochrome hues. Their textiles are very colorful and elaborate.

Paracas era artifacts from the Ica valley are also known as Ocucaje. Ocuaje pottery from the Ica valley has been delineated into ten related phases or styles, which seem to be chronological outgrowths of each other. Phase 3 is similar to that of the Chavin culture further north, and Phases 8 - 10 are very well defined in the Ica valley, and seem chronologically similar to the Paracas penninsula artifacts so far discovered.

The Nazca are more fully discussed in their territory here. The Nazca have developed pottery that is painted prior to firing, but their art demonstrates a cultural continuity with the Paracas. The depiction of artistic themes continued on: fish, whales, falcons, felines, musical intruments. However, unlike their ancestors, the Nazca did not produce painted cloth mummy masks nor ceramic masks, so far as can be determined.

The Wari were an external culture that got its start circa 550 AD, in the northeasterly highlands. As there was no system of writing at that time, it is unknown if the Wari conquered the Ita and Nazca regions, or whether they simply heavily influenced this area via economic or other cohersion in their heyday. Two sites seem to be built upon Wari architectural enclosure principles, but they are smaller than the main strongholds the Wari held in the higher elevations. One is located in the Tierras Blancas Valley, the other in the Ingenio Valley. Circular floor plans were a mark of Wari influence. Many pieces of Wari pottery have been discovered at Pacheco, a site near the important Nazca center of Cahuachi. Mythological themes were important in Wari pottery. The Atarco pottery style took on importance during the era of Wari dominance.

After the collapse of the Wari empire, pottery relics from this region of South America took on a more utilitarian cast. Gone were the mythological features and themes. It is as if the styles of the dominant overlord people, now gone, were rejected by the populace. However, they did not return to the styles of their Nazca ancestors. The past may well have been truly forgotten even then. Trade through the Andes regions appeared to be well-established during this era; Chincha was especially favored as a trading destination.

The Ica valley was divided into two governances, named respectively Hanan Ica and Lurin Ica. The locale of Ica La Vieja may have surved as an administrative center. The Nazca (Nanasca) family held the Nazca Valley, Nazca Valley drainage being controlled by the Nazca, the Cantad, the Poramas and the Collao, and possibly others.

In the mid-1400's, the Incas conquered these lands. In the region around the Nazca drainage, they created two administrative centers beholden to them: one at Paredones (Nazca Valley) and one at Ingenio, Tambo de Collao, La Legua. Geoglyphs at Ingenio appear to be interrupted before completion, perhaps a sign of the Inca conquest. An Inca road leads from here to the province of Lucanas.

Silverman, H. and Proulx, D. A. The Nasca. 1988. ISBN 0-631-23224-9.