Tiwanaku Spiritual and Political Centre of the Tiwanaku Culture Bolivia

Tiwanaku: Spiritual and Political Centre of the Tiwanaku Culture - Bolivia 

Short Report

The city Tiwanaku, the capital of a powerful pre-Hispanic empire dominated a large part of the southern Andes and beyond, reached its apogee between 500 and 900 AD. The monumental remains testify to the cultural and political significance of this civilization, which distinguishes it from other pre-Hispanic empires in North and South America.

Wide Report

The ruins of Tiwanaku bear striking witness to the strength of the empire that played a leading role in the development of the Andean pre-Hispanic civilization. The buildings are exceptional examples of the ceremonial and public architecture and art of one of the main manifestations of the civilisations of the region. Tiwanaku began as a small settlement, in what is known as the 'village period', approximately 1200 BCE. It is self-contained, with a non-irrigated agriculture based on frost-resistant crops, essential at this high altitude, tubers produce such as potatoes, oca and cereals, in particular quinoa. In more sheltered places near Lake Titicaca, corn and peaches were also cultivated. The inhabitants lived in rectangular adobe houses were connected to each other by cobbled streets.

During the 1st century CE, Tiwanaku expanded rapidly in a small town. This can be attributed to the introduction of copper metallurgy, the resulting availability of superior tools and equipment and the repair of irrigation systems. The rich upper class, which also controlled the lucrative trade in wool from the huge flocks of domesticated alpaca in the region, provided that the financing for the creation of large public buildings of stone and paved roads Tiwanaku pairing with other settlements in the region. The marshy tracts on the shore of the lake, where the climate would be more favorable in cultivation by the creation of a row up fields.

The Tiwanaku Empire is probably the most powerful phase in the 8th century AD. Many daughter cities or colonies were set up in the vast region in Tiwanaku rule, of which the most important was Wari in Peru, which is a competitor of Tiwanaku. The political dominance of Tiwanaku began to decline in the 11th century, and its empire collapsed in the first half of the 12th century. Tiwanaku is located near the southern shore of Lake Titicaca on the plateau, at an altitude of 3,850 m. Most of the old city, which was largely built of adobe, is combined with the modern city. However, the monumental stone buildings of the ceremonial center survive in the protected archaeological zones.

The most impressive monument of Tiwanaku as temple of the Akapana. It is a pyramid originally with seven aggregate platforms with stone retaining walls rises to a height of over 18 m. Only the lowest of these, and a part of one of the intermediate walls survive intact. Research has shown that the originally coated with blue stone and passed by a temple, as usual in Mesoamerican pyramids. It is surrounded by very well conserved irrigation/drainage canals. The walls of the small semi-underground temple (Templete) consists of 48 pillars in red sandstone. There are many carved stone heads in the wall, undoubtedly represent a previous practice reports highlight the severed heads of enemies in the temple.

North of the Akapana is the Kalasasaya, a large rectangular open temple, believed to have been used as an observatory. It is imported by a flight of seven steps in the center of the eastern wall. The interior contains two carved monolith and the monumental port on the sunday, one of the main models of the art of Tiwanaku. It was made from a single piece andesite cut a large portal with alcoves on both sides. Above the portal is a bas-relief depicting that frisian a central deity, standing on a stepped platform, carries a comprehensive dress, and with a team in each hand. The deity is flanked by rows of percentile anthropomorphic dummy birds and along the bottom of the panel is a series of human faces. The ensemble is interpreted as agricultural calendar.

Historical Data

Tiwanaku began as a small settlement, in what is known as the 'village period,' about 1200 BCE. It is self-contained, with a non-irrigated agriculture based on frost-resistant crops, essential at this high altitude, tubers produce such as potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), oca (Oxalis tuberosa) and cereals, in particular quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa). In more sheltered places near Lake Titicaca, corn and peaches were also cultivated. The inhabitants lived in rectangular adobe houses were connected to each other by paved streets. During the 1st century CE Tiwanaku expanded rapidly in a small town. This can be attributed to the introduction of copper metallurgy and the resulting availability of superior tools and equipment. This facilitates the recovery of irrigation systems, which resulted in the agricultural surpluses, which in turn encouraged the growth of a hierarchical social structure and the emergence of specialized professionals.

The rich upper class, which also controlled the lucrative trade in wool from the huge flocks of domesticated alpaca in the region, provided that the financing for the creation of large public buildings in stone, designed by architects of a monumental scale and richly decorated by the skilled bricklayers. Paved roads were built, Tiwanaku pairing with other settlements in the region, together with the production was exported with llamas as beasts of burden. The distribution of artifacts in bronze, ceramics, textiles and stone from the workshops of the Tiwanaku craftsmen shows that around 550 the city was the capital of the vast empire for what is now southern Peru, northern Chile, Bolivia and parts of Argentina.

The marshy tracts on the shore of the lake, where the climate would be more favorable in cultivation by the creation of a row up fields. This was a huge undertaking, it is estimated that as many as 65km2. The camellones were 6m wide and can more than 200 m long and are separated by irrigation channels 3m wide. The canals served not only for water and nutrients in the fields but also acted as heat reservoirs during the day, allowing significant improvements in the microclimate of the fields. The Tiwanaku empire is probably the most powerful phase in the 8th century AD. Many daughter cities or colonies were set up in the vast region in Tiwanaku rule, of which the most important was Wari in Peru, which is a competitor of Tiwanaku. On its pinnacle Tiwanaku has estimated to be more than an area of up to 6km2 and housed between 70,000 and 125,000 inhabitants.

The political dominance of Tiwanaku began to decline in the 11th century, and its empire collapsed in the first half of the 12th century. The reasons for this failure are not yet clear. Scholars now reject invasion and conquest and point to the changes in the climate, which give rise to poor harvests and a gradual weakening of the central authority at the time when it yielded to the pressures for autonomy from its components.

Source:whc/unesco