Tihuanacan Empire

Tiwanaku empire
Tiahuanaco
300–1150
Middle Horizon
Capital		Tiwanaku, Bolivia
Languages		Puquina
Government		Not specified
Historical era		Pre-Columbian
•	Established	300
•	Disestablished	1150
Today part of		Bolivia  Peru  Chile

The Tiwanaku (Spanish: Tiahuanaco or Tiahuanacu) state was a Pre-Columbian polity based in the city of Tiwanaku in western Bolivia that extended around Lake Titicaca and into present-day Peru and Chile from 300 to 1150. There are many theories about the type of Tiwanaku state. One opinion is that it was a far-reaching military empire, but another theory is that it was the center for regional religious pilgrimages and llama caravan trade routes without much political authority. The Tiwanaku empire was most likely a result of direct colonization of nearby areas and cultural dominance over more distant areas, with Tiwanaku’s influence being based on religion, culture and trade instead of direct military and political control. The empire was more like a federation of autonomous regional communities for which Tiwanaku was the center of religion, culture, and trade.

Tiwanaku is recognized by Andean scholars as one of the most important civilizations prior to the rise of the Inca Empire; it was the ritual and administrative center of a major culture for approximately five hundred years. The ruins of the ancient city of Tiwanaku are located near the south-eastern shore of Lake Titicaca in Tiwanaku Municipality, Ingavi Province, La Paz Department, about 72 km (45 mi) west of La Paz.

The area around Tiwanaku might have been inhabited as early as 1500 BC as a small agricultural village. By 400 there were several city states around lake Titicaca, among which Tiwanaku gained supremacy. New cult buildings were built, polychrome pottery introduced and a distinctive sculptural style developed. Around 400 a Tiwanaku state in the Titicaca basin began to develop.

Tiwanaku expanded its reach into the Yungas and brought its culture and way of life to many other cultures in Peru, Bolivia, and the people of the Northern regions of Argentina and Chile. It was not exclusively a military or violent culture. In order to expand its reach, Tiwanaku used politics to create colonies, negotiate trade agreements (which made the other cultures rather dependent), and establish state cults. Others were drawn to the Tiwanaku empire due to religious beliefs, as it continued to be an important religious center. On the northern end of the Titicaca basin, locals resisted the Tiwanaku expansion.

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