When did the Wari Empire exist and where was its capital located?
The Wari Empire flourished between 500 and 1000 AD with its capital city named Wari located north-east of modern-day Ayacucho, Peru.
Common questions about Wari culture
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What evidence exists for violence and social stratification in the Wari city of Conchopata?
Excavations at Conchopata revealed that 26 percent of adult crania had posterior wounds and human heads were placed as offerings in D-shaped temples to confirm systematic ritualized warfare and execution.
How did the Wari culture manage administration without written records?
The Wari Empire relied on khipu or knot records to track resources and labor across their vast empire instead of using a written constitution or written records.
What role did textiles play in Wari state control and religious expression?
Wari textiles served as primary evidence of state control over elite art production and featured abstracted motifs like the Staff God to project power and authority.
Why did the Wari Empire collapse around 800 AD and 1000 AD?
Centuries of drought and environmental stress led to dramatic depopulation and the collapse of the Wari state structure into smaller warring polities by 1000 AD.