Wari Empire | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6th century–11th century | |||||||||||||||
![]() Expansion and area of cultural influence. | |||||||||||||||
Capital | Huari | ||||||||||||||
Common languages | Aymara, others. | ||||||||||||||
Religion | Staff God | ||||||||||||||
Historical era | Middle Horizon | ||||||||||||||
• Established | 6th century | ||||||||||||||
• Disestablished | 11th century | ||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Today part of | Peru |
The Wari Empire or Huari Empire was a political formation that emerged around 600 AD (CE) in Peru's Ayacucho Basin and grew to cover much of coastal and highland Peru.[1] The empire lasted for about 500 years, until 1100 CE.[2] It existed during the same era as the Tiwanaku culture, and at one time, was thought to have been derived from it.[3] In 2008, archeologists found a precolumbian city, the Northern Wari ruins (also called Cerro Pátapo) near modern Chiclayo.[4] The find was the first extensive settlement related to the Wari culture discovered that far north.[5][6] Archaeological discoveries have continued over the past decade. In 2023, archaeologists discovered a 1200-year-old Wari ritual complex in Arequipa.[7] While more discoveries are being made regarding the Wari Empire, archaeologists are able to draw more conclusions about the Wari Empire's culture.