Wari culture
The Realm of the Wari (or Huari ) [' wari ] was one of the pre- Inca cultures of South America Regional and existed during the period from about 600 to 1100 AD along the coastal region of present-day Peru.
Formation
During the time of the Middle horizon formed by about 600 AD in the Andean highlands and the Pacific coastal region of two cultures out which subjected the existing empires - the Wari and Tiahuanaco the culture. The militaristic aligned Wari culture had emerged from the Recuay culture and subjugated the Nazca, Mochica, the, the Huarpa and other smaller cultural centers. The name of culture derives from the place Huari ( Wari ), the political and urban center of the empire, about 25 km northeast of the present city of Ayacucho in southern Peru.
Expansion
The area of influence of the Wari culture reached its heyday in the 9th and 10th centuries, more than 1500 kilometers from Sihuas (Arequipa ) and Sicuani ( Cuzco ) in the south of the kingdom to Piura and the Marañón Valley in the north, covering an area of approximately 300,000 square kilometers. In the capital at that time lived on an area of 20 km ² up to 100,000 inhabitants. Evidence of the impressive urban architecture can be found but also in cities like Otuzco ( Cajamarca ), Tomeval, Pikillaqta and Viracochapampa that were built after the model of the capital. The administrative structure of the Wari may be regarded as a model for the later Inca culture.
Culture
The spread of the Wari culture was associated with profound changes in the political, social and religious life of the Andean population. These changes were reflected in a new architecture, urban settlement patterns, an expanded infrastructure and a militarized culture. The religious cult of the creator god Viracocha new superimposed soon all cults of the preceding centuries, the cause of its similarity with the scepter of God Tiahuanaco has not yet been clarified so far. Characteristic peculiarities, which are reflected in these two cultures on textiles, handicrafts and ceramics, are polychrome elements with complex ornaments, most notably the strikingly frequent use of mythical animal motifs with Condor and Jaguar.
Architecture and Infrastructure
In the Wari culture cities were built in South America for the first time, which were surrounded by defensive walls and a checkerboard -like and went far beyond religious centers. The capital of the Wari ( Huari ) was fully equipped with temples, palaces and districts also had the city an intricate system of canals and aqueducts.
Structures such as the Wari temple Willkawayin near Huaraz were structurally sensational. The Willkahuain temple is crowned by a gable roof of huge smooth stone slabs, interior and exterior exchanged heavy megaliths with small-scale shale beds. Due to this elastic massing of the temple suffered only two cracks even at the severe earthquake of 1970.
Downfall
In the 11th century the economic decline of the Wari Empire began. The population declined, the Huari capital and other cities in the highlands were gradually abandoned. Later, the people left the cities on the coast and retreated to the village settlements. It is thought that may have caused the demise of this culture associated with El Niño climatic changes, without, however, so far has a clearer insight. With the fall of the Wari culture is also lost their unifying force, for several centuries, the Andean region was dominated again by independent regional kingdoms and regional cultures.