Wari culture

The Wari (Spanish: Huari) were a Middle Horizon civilization that flourished in the south-central Andes and coastal area of modern-day Peru, from about 500 to 1000 AD. At their height, they formed the Wari Empire.

Wari, as the former capital city was called, is located 11 km (6.8 mi) north-east of the modern city of Ayacucho, Peru. This city was the center of a civilization that covered much of the highlands and coast of modern Peru. The best-preserved remnants, besides the Huari|Wari ruins, are the recently discovered Northern Wari ruins near the city of Chiclayo, and Cerro Baúl in Moquegua. Also well-known are the Wari ruins of Pikillaqta ("Flea Town"), a short distance south-east of Cuzco en route to Lake Titicaca.

However, there is still a debate whether the Wari dominated the Central Coast or the polities on the Central Coast were commercial states capable of interacting with the Wari people without being politically dominated by them.

History

Archaeological evidence shows that the Wari empire took control of small villages in Peru's Carahuarazo Valley around 600 A.D. This caused some villages to be abandoned and one to be partly destroyed for a new Wari administrative center called Jincamocco. The Wari brought new farming methods, including terracing agriculture, to the area. They changed what people grew from mainly tubers to also include maize. Storage buildings built by the Wari were found near some villages, likely for keeping food safe. The Wari stayed in the Carahuarazo Valley until about 800 A.D., after which most of the valley's sites were left empty.

The Wari later expanded to include the ancient oracle center of Pachacamac, though it stayed mostly independent. They also grew to control areas once ruled by the Moche and later the Chimu cultures. Historians think this growth may have been due to spreading religion, sharing farming skills like terrace agriculture, or through military strength. Like many ancient empires, the Wari used military power to expand and keep control.

Around 800 A.D., long droughts began to weaken the Wari culture. By 1000 A.D., the city of Wari had almost no people left, though a few groups still lived there. Some buildings had doors deliberately blocked, as if the Wari hoped to return when the rains came back. As the Wari faded away, fighting and raids increased among nearby groups. This time period is known as the Late Intermediate Period.

Government

The Wari people did not use written records, but they had a special tool called khipu, which was a way to keep track of things using knots. This tool was used later by the Inca, but it might have first been used by the Wari.

In 2013, a royal tomb was found at El Castillo de Huarmey. The items buried with the three royal women showed that the Wari had great wealth and controlled a large area of coastal Peru for many years.

At a place called Conchopata, near the Wari capital, many burials were found. These burials showed that people in the city had different social levels, from servants to elites. Studies of the bones showed different types of injuries, which helped experts understand the social structure of the Wari.

Architecture

The Wari people built special buildings in many places during their time. These buildings were different from others in the Andes, like those in Tiwanaku. Wari buildings were often made from rough stones covered in white plaster. They were large, rectangle-shaped with few entrances and no windows, and did not have spaces for large groups to gather.

One special type of Wari building was D-shaped, often used for temples. These temples were small, about 10 meters long. The Wari used these buildings to manage the areas around them. Researchers studied Inca roads and fields to learn more about Wari architecture, as the Wari also built fields with terraces.

Social life

Feasts and offerings of food were very important in the social life of the Wari people. Archaeologists have found evidence of animals, like camelid, used in these feasts. These animals were special because they were not common in the area where the Wari lived. Sometimes, the animals were not fully eaten on purpose to show off the host's wealth during the feasts.

Religion

The Wari people believed in a god called the Staff god, which was important to many cultures in the Andes mountains. Some of the oldest pictures of this god are on Wari fabrics and pots that are more than 3,000 years old. Some experts think this Wari Staff god might have been connected to the three main gods of the Incan people: the Sun, the Moon, and Thunder.

The Wari also performed ceremonies where they offered animals. Scientists found the full skeletons of a young camelid (a type of animal related to llamas) and thirty-two guinea pigs buried in a special building in a place called Conchopata, not far from their capital city. These animals were likely offered during a ceremony at the end of the rainy season in the Ayachuco valley.

Art

The Wari people were famous for their beautiful textiles, which were found well-preserved in old burials. These clothes, like tunics and hats, were made with many threads—some have up to nine miles of thread in one piece! The designs were special and sometimes hard to understand, maybe to show the wearer’s important rank.

They also made wonderful metal and ceramic pieces. Their metalwork used silver and copper, and sometimes gold, to create bowls, jewelry, and more. Their ceramics often showed pictures of food and animals. One place called Conchopata seems to have been very important for making these ceramics.