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Aftermath of the Tiwanaku Collapse
By the 1140s the Tiwanaku civilization had collapsed around the 11th century, but its political legacy, terrace farming, and religious symbols still …
Timeline
- 1141–1150Tiwanaku · La Paz DepartmentAfter the collapse, the ancient city of Tiwanaku's population plummeted and the terraced temple zone gradually fell into ruin, yet stone ruins such as the Gateway of the Sun were still regarded as sacred by surrounding tribes, with occasional pilgrimages and sacrifices reflecting the enduring influence of imperial religious symbols.
- 1141–1147La Paz Valley · La Paz DepartmentAfter the Tiwanaku collapse, ayllu communities such as Pacajes established local polities in the La Paz Valley, inheriting some terrace agriculture and pottery techniques, sustaining regional livelihoods and limited political organization amid a fragmented landscape.
- 1145–1150Lake Titicaca · La Paz DepartmentAfter the end of Tiwanaku hegemony, chiefdoms around the highland lake each went their own way, competing for lakeside fisheries, reed-island agriculture, and salt-mining resources. This fragmented pattern persisted until the rise of the Inca Empire, forming a long-term backdrop for political reorganization in the central Andes.
Sources
- Tiwanaku and Its Hinterland: Archaeology and Paleoecology of an Andean Civilization — Alan L. Kolata (1993)
- Tiwanaku https://www.britannica.com/place/Tiwanaku