Ancient trade networks: How live Amazonian parrots reached the Atacama Desert

Ancient communities inhabiting the territories of present-day Peru and Chile created an advanced trade network that allowed for the transport of live parrots from the Amazon basin across the Andes to the Pacific coast. A study published in March 2026 in the journal Nature Communications proves that birds such as macaws and amazons were transported across mountains exceeding 3,000 meters above sea level. This trade occurred between approximately 1100 and 1450 CE, even before the expansion of the Inca Empire. Scientists, led by Dr. George Olah from the Australian National University (ANU), used ancient DNA analysis and spatial modeling to confirm the origin of the birds and reconstruct their transport routes. Nature Communications indicates that the logistics of this undertaking testify to an extremely high degree of organization among the human groups of that time.

The main reason for bringing exotic birds to the barren lands of today's Atacama Desert was their colorful feathers, which constituted a valuable luxury commodity. They were used in rituals and as part of the burial equipment for individuals of high social status. Analysis of remains found in ancient burials showed that the birds were kept alive in captivity, which required providing them with appropriate food and care in a climate extremely different from their natural environment. Before Inca dominance in the Central Andes region, numerous cultures existed, such as Tiwanaku or Chimú, which developed complex irrigation systems and trade exchange networks. The Atacama Desert, despite extreme conditions, has been a place of settlement for millennia, where the wealth of marine resources was exchanged for products from the interior. Previous archaeological finds in this region often included mummified animals, but only modern genetic techniques have allowed for the precise identification of the Amazon as the source of the parrots.

José M. Capriles, a professor of anthropology from Pennsylvania State University, also played a significant role in the research project. Experts emphasize that transporting live animals across treacherous mountain passes was a technical and physical challenge. „Through combining ancient DNA analysis with ecological niche modeling and archaeological data, we were able to reconstruct these incredible journeys across the Andes” — George Olah via Nature Communications Researchers identified specific species that covered distances of hundreds of kilometers, shedding new light on mobility and intercultural interactions in South America before the arrival of Europeans. Chronology of parrot trade in the Andes: c. 1100 CE — Beginning of the trade network; 1438 CE — Inca expansion; c. 1450 CE — End of the studied period; 10 March 2026 — Publication of results