[Sherman Logan]

“Droughts were so severe that they could have lasted between 60 and 130 years, which could explain why there were social crises in (civilizations like) Caral, Moche and Tiahuanaco,” archaeologist Ruth Shady, director of the Caral Project, told Efe.

Here's the odd part. Ran across a paper by Shady and colleagues. I think they're talking about the same area.

Drought isn't mentioned. Earthquakes, landslides and blowing sand caused the damage.

http://www.pnas.org/content/106/5/1359.full

[G Larry]

You’re not suggesting they change their conclusions to fit the current agenda, are you?

Sounds Shady to me......

[gleeaikin]

So, was the blowing sand caused by drought? We also have the interesting fact that many civilizations in the Middle East, Egypt, and probably China experienced major disruptions around 4000 years ago. Sunken Civ brought to our attention that a very large boloid caused crater of that age was found in the Iraq marshes after Saddam Hussein drained them. Such an even could have had world wide repercussions for many years. Has any more work been done to study that crater or its affects?