Ancient temple ruins discovered in Andes pull back curtain on lost society after 1,000 years
Archaeologists have discovered the ruins of an ancient South American temple they say has helped pull back the curtain on the workings of its enigmatic Andean civilization.
Known as the Tiwanaku, the society lived in modern-day Bolivia near the southern shores of Lake Titicaca – the highest navigable lake in the world – before their mysterious disappearance more than 1,000 years ago.
People had first started to live in the region around 10,000 years ago, according to University of California at Berkeley archaeologist Dr. Nicola Sharratt. As many as 20,000 people came to reside in the area. Skilled stoneworkers, the Tiwanaku were widely considered to be a precursor of the Inca empire and one of the earliest examples of civilization in the Andes mountains.
'Their society collapsed sometime around 1,000 CE and was a ruin by the time the Incas conquered the Andes in the 15th century,' José Capriles, an associate professor of anthropology at Penn State University, said in a statement. '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.'
Capriles was the lead author of the international study detailing the findings published this week in the journal Antiquity.
The temple is called 'Palaspata,' which was the native name for the area. Palaspata is located on a hill, approximately 130 miles to the south of the Tiwanaku's established historical site. The area was previously known to indigenous farmers, but had never been explored in depth by researchers.
After noticing a strange plot of land with four sides, they turned to technology to learn more. They snapped and compiled satellite images of the site, and also took pictures using cameras aboard unmanned aerial vehicle flights. Then, they used the photos to construct a three-dimensional approximation of the Palaspata and its surrounding landscape. About the size of a city block, the complex includes 15 quadrangular enclosures arranged around a rectangular inner courtyard.
Its composition, the authors said, suggested that it was used to perform rituals following the solar equinox: a bi-annual moment when the sun is positioned directly above the equator. But, it likely was not solely used for religious purposes.
Much about the Tiwanaku civilization remains unknown, but Palaspata would have been in an advantageous trade spot, according to Capriles. Many people traded and built monuments throughout the mountains. This temple connected three main trade routes, including the highlands, a high-altitude plateau, and the Andean valleys of Cochabamba.
'Most economic and political transactions had to be mediated through divinity, because that would be a common language that would facilitate various individuals cooperating,' he explained.
On the surface of the ruins of Palaspata, the scientists found fragments of 'keru' cups, which were used for drinking a traditional maize beer called 'chicha' during agricultural feasts and celebrations. The maize was cultivated in the Cochabamba valleys.
The researchers had worked with the Bolivian Ministry of Cultures, Decolonization, and Depatriarchalization to export samples of the ruins, which were dated at the Penn State's Institute of Energy and the Environment Radiocarbon Dating Lab.
The city is now working with state and national authorities to help properly protect and preserve the site.
'With more insight into the past of this ancient site, we get a window into how people managed cooperation, and how we can materially see evidence of political and economic control,' Capriles said. 'There's still so much to discover that we don't know about, and that could be hiding in plain sight. It just requires opening your eyes to see what's out there.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
13 hours ago
- New York Post
Utility workers uncover 1,000-year-old pre-Inca mummy in Peru's capital
Utility workers excavating trenches to expand the network of natural gas pipelines in Peru's capital have uncovered a pre-Inca mummy approximately 1,000 years old, barely 20 inches from the surface. The mummy had gone unnoticed despite urban development in a district of Lima where former agricultural fields have been converted into working-class neighborhoods in recent decades. Jose Aliaga, an archaeologist with utility Cálidda, on Wednesday said the unearthed mummy, found in a seated position and covered by a bundle, still has dark brown hair. Advertisement 4 An ancient mummy covered in a bundle and found in a seated position in the ground on the outskirts of Lima, Peru on June 18, 2025. AP 'We found remains and evidence that there could be a pre-Hispanic burial,' Aliaga said. He said workers made the discovery last week. Lima, located in a valley irrigated by three rivers fed from the Andes, housed human civilizations thousands of years before the Spanish arrived in 1535. Advertisement Now home to 10 million people, the city has more than 400 archaeological sites, most of which are intertwined with the current urban fabric. 'It is very common to find archaeological remains on the Peruvian coast, including Lima, mainly funerary elements: tombs, burials, and, among these, mummified individuals,' said Pieter Van Dalen, dean of the College of Archaeologists of Peru. Van Dalen, who is not involved in the discovery, said mummies on the Peruvian coast are usually found mummified naturally, generally in desert areas, with the skin dehydrated by the summer heat. 4 Archaeologist Jose Aliaga excavates the ancient mummy from the dirt it had sat in for thousands of years. AP Advertisement 4 People gather to look at the ancient discovery. AP 4 The mummy is seen through protective netting set up around the excavation area. AP He explained that other unearthed remains have been found to have undergone mummification procedures for cultural reasons and are usually discovered in a seated position with their hands covering their faces. Jesús Bahamonde, director of the archaeological monitoring plan of metropolitan Lima at Cálidda, said the mummy found last week would have belonged to a society of fishermen of the Chancay culture, which flourished between 1,000 and 1,470 AD.
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Miami Herald
‘Rare' animal visitors — and words of warning. See latest creature encounters
The summaries below were drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All linked stories were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists. Unique creatures, odd animals and new species are being discovered across the planet. Some are found lurking in remote corners of the world, while others have been hiding right under our noses. Learn more about some recent rare animal encounters from around the world: Park employee looks up at tree — and finds 'rare' visitor staring back. See it During a routine wildlife survey at Al Wathba Wetland Reserve in the United Arab Emirates, a staff member discovered a rare long-eared owl, Asio otus, marking the first sighting of this species in the area in 22 years. The owl, with its pointy feathers and bright yellow eyes, was spotted roosting on a branch after a day of high winds and heavy rains. | Published June 20 | Read More | Family's 'close encounter' with 'world's most dangerous bird' prompts warnings In South Mission Beach, Australia, a family experienced a close encounter with a cassowary, often called the 'world's most dangerous bird,' due to its powerful legs and sharp claws. The incident, captured on a security camera, led to warnings from wildlife officials about the dangers of feeding these birds, which can become aggressive when expecting food. This encounter is one of several linked to unlawful feeding in the area. | Published June 24 | Read More | Hidden cliffside nest of the world's largest flying bird discovered in Peru Andes Researchers in the Andes Mountains of Peru discovered a hidden nest of the Andean condor, the world's largest flying bird, on a cliff in the Junin region. This marks only the fourth recorded nesting site in the country and highlights the need for conservation efforts to protect this vulnerable species. The discovery was made using a drone, which revealed two adult condors and a chick in the nest. | Published June 24 | Read More | Wild elephant keeps returning 'just to say hello' to the vets who saved his life In Kenya, a wild bull elephant has been returning to visit the veterinarians who saved his life after being shot with an arrow. This touching behavior showcases the elephant's intelligence and gratitude, as he calmly approaches the Ithumba Unit stockades to greet his rescuers. The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust describes this as a remarkable example of the bond between humans and wildlife. | Published June 25 | Read More | Migrating sea creature gets 'lost' in Australia bay. Watch dolphin pod step in In Koombana Bay, Australia, a pod of dolphins helped guide a lost humpback whale back to deeper waters during its migration. The whale, initially spotted by volunteers, appeared healthy and was soon joined by the dolphins, who playfully interacted with it and led it back on course. This heartwarming encounter highlights the cooperative nature of marine life. | Published June 25 | Read More |
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Archaeologists Found a Lost Temple From a Civilization That Vanished 1,000 Years Ago
Here's what you'll learn when you read this story: The discovery of an ancient Tiwanaku temple in Bolivia is helping researchers paint a more complete picture of what the society once looked like. The Tiwanaku civilization was considered one of the continent's most powerful civilizations at its height. It mysteriously collapsed around 1000 A.D., and was in ruins by the 15th century. Researchers discovered ancient temple ruins in modern-day Bolivia that may help us to better understand the mysterious fall of the Tiwanaku civilization—once one of the most powerful in South America. The international team of researchers scoured the Andes and found a temple complex roughly 130 miles south of Tiwanaku's established historical site on the top of a hill. In a study published in Antiquity, the team wrote that the temple discovery could provide new details about the civilization, which was one of the first in the Andes and a powerful precursor to the Inca empire—until, that is, it mysteriously vanished about a thousand years ago. 'Their society collapsed sometime around 1000 A.D. and was a ruin by the time the Incas conquered the Andes in the 15th century,' Jose Capriles, Penn State associate professor of anthropology and the study's lead author, said in a statement. '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.' Searching over 100 miles from what was considered the center of Tiwanaku land mades sense when looking at the history, Capriles said. During the height of the civilization, the unassuming hill location on which the complex was found connected three main trade routes: from the productive highlands to the northern, the arid western, and the agriculturally rich eastern Andean valleys. Capriles said that people moved, traded, and built monuments in places of significance all throughout the arid mountain landscape. Once the team found an unmapped quadrangular plot of land, they started searching more diligently. 'Because the features are very faint, we blended various satellite images together,' Capriles said. Using photogrammetry via unmanned aerial vehicle to create a 3D approximation, the researchers spot stone alignments that revealed an ancient temple 410 feet long by 475 feet wide (roughly the size of a city block). According to the study, the site included a large, modular building with an integrated, sunken courtyard. 'The complex represents a gateway node that effectively materialized the power and influence of the Tiwanaku state,' the authors wrote. The layout also aligns with solar equinox rituals. On the ground, the team found numerous fragments of keru cups, which were used for drinking the traditional chicha (maize beer) during feasts and celebrations. The maize was not local, and was cultivated in the Cochabamba valleys to the east—not the high-altitude temple location. The find showcases the site's importance as a central hub for trade. Capriles said that the temple likely also served a religious purpose, which would have been common for the day. 'Most economic and political transactions had to be mediated through divinity, because that would be a common language that would facilitate various individuals cooperating,' he said. Ventura Guaravo—the mayor of Caracollo, where the site is located—said in a statement that the archaeological findings offer a view of local heritage that has been overlooked. The city is working with state and national authorities to ensure preservation and protection of the complex. 'With more insight into the past of this ancient site, we get a window into how people managed cooperation, and how we can materially see evidence of political and economic control,' Capriles said. 'There's still so much to discover that we don't know about, and that could be hiding in plain sight.' You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
