Eastern Pacific High Sea

West of the Peruvian coast near Trujillo, the Pacific is cooled by the northward-flowing Humboldt Current. Upwelling brings nutrients to surface waters, supporting fish and large populations of seabirds. The adjacent coast is dry, but rivers descending from the Andes create fertile valleys before reaching the sea. Ancient coastal societies used both the irrigated valleys and the rich ocean, leaving settlements and ceremonial centers along this narrow strip of land.