The Tiwanaku empire was one of the most significant Andean civilizations, preceding the Inca civilization and lasting from around 600 to 1000 AD. It stretched from the Peruvian coast to western Bolivia and parts of Chile, with the capital of the same name located in the southern area of Lake Titicaca.
Although much of the culture of the Tiwanaku empire remains a mystery to this day, due to scarce archaeological evidence, their influence on their descendants, namely the Inca empire, is undeniable.
The city of Tiwanaku was founded around 110 AD and reached its peak at around 800 AD, when it is said to have been the home of over 30.000 people. It was built in the proximity of Lake Titicaca, which, at the time, was considered by the Tiwanaku people to be the centre of the world, with its two islands being designated as the sun and the moon respectively. This area soon became a place of pilgrimage, a practice that was later adopted by the Inca empire. The focal point of this sacred site was the Akapana Temple, a place that is believed to have been used for shamanic rituals, the Kalassaya, a rectangular court used for public ceremonies, as well as a semi-subterranean temple. The entire site is adorned with various sculptures, more specifically, stone giants, that might have been intended to represent either former Tiwanaku rulers or a race of giants which preceded the Andean people, molded by Viracocha, the God of creation.
Recent research also shows that the Tiwanaku people were the first ones in the area to ever offer items of value to religious deities. Some of these items include puma-shaped incense burners, which are thought to have been an important religious symbol to the Tiwanaku people, as well as gold and stone ornaments. Sacrificed llamas also played an important role in these rituals, a practice that was later adopted by the Inca empire. The presence of anchors near many of these artifacts suggests that the rituals were conducted on boats, and while their exact purpose is still unknown, many scholars have speculated that they were used as a means to exert influence in the area, and perhaps even cooperate with other regional Andean groups.
Perhaps one of the most intriguing aspects regarding the Tiwanaku empire is their disappearance, which is said to have taken place around 1100 BC. The most probable theory suggests that changes in the local climate that lasted for about 400 years led to a gradual reduction of lake and groundwater levels, which profoundly affected agriculture and thereby led to the eventual demise of the Tiwanaku empire. Scholars theorize that had it not been for this drought, the Tiwanaku empire would have gone on to prosper well into the 13th century. While there are still many unanswered questions about the Tiwanaku empire, one thing is clear: its existence has changed the landscape of South America forever.
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