Ancient temple ruins discovered in Andes. © José Capriles / Penn State.
A newly found temple complex has been uncovered about 130 miles south of the well-known Tiwanaku archaeological site.
The temple sits on a hill that researchers had largely overlooked because it didn’t seem important at first glance.
Long ago, a powerful civilization thrived near the southern edge of Lake Titicaca, in what is now Bolivia. Known as Tiwanaku, this ancient society is considered one of the first advanced cultures in the Andes and a forerunner to the Inca Empire. However, it mysteriously vanished around 1,000 years ago. Now, researchers from Penn State and Bolivia have found a temple that may offer new insight into what Tiwanaku was like at its height.
The newly discovered temple complex is located 130 miles south of Tiwanaku’s historical site. © José Capriles / Penn State.
There is still much we don’t know about the Tiwanaku people, said José Capriles, an anthropology professor at Penn State and lead author of a new study about the discovery, published June 24 in the journal Antiquity.
The temple’s layout is aligned to perform rituals following the solar equinox. © José Capriles / Penn State.
Capriles explained:
“Their society collapsed sometime around 1000 CE and was a ruin by the time the Incas conquered the Andes in the 15th century. At its peak, it boasted a highly organized societal structure, leaving behind remnants of architectural monuments like pyramids, terraced temples and monoliths, most of which are distributed in sites around Lake Titicaca and, while we know Tiwanaku’s control and influence extended much further, scholars debate how much actual control over distant places it had.”
source Penn State
Leave A Comment