The Tiwanaku, was not just a civilization, it was a people. A people that created one of the most incredible civilizations in the world that lasted over 500 years. The people of Tiwanaku exemplified how religious ideology and ritual practice can shape the cultural processes that made it possible for the Tiwanaku to rise and expand in the south-central Andean highlands. Located at 3800 meters in the southern Lake Titicaca Basin of the Andean high plateau, Tiwanaku thrived as a vast religious complex between 500 and 1100 AD.
One must keep in mind that the area was the home of very harsh conditions. The air was quite thin and at night the temperature would drop well below freezing. The rainy seasons brought flooding and drought was also a big problem. In addition to this, in the beginning expansion was difficult because it was easier to grow crops closer to Lake Titicaca. At this point a big question is posed, why would anyone want to live in these conditions? This leads me to my point and the reason why I argue that the religious practice of the people of Tiwanaku did indeed shape the social, political, and cultural processes that fueled the rise of this …show more content…
They had festivals, where different groups from the surrounding area would gather and bond socially; the harsher the conditions, the bigger the festival. They whole heartedly believed that worship and working together was the key to success. One of the things that really stood out to me was the monumental core Tiwanaku. I find that the people of Tiwanaku built very complex monuments, which were home to key religious icons and provided dynamic spaces for rituals and activities. These monuments also made visual references to mountain peaks, natural elements such as water, and told stories of the ancestors of the Tiwanaku
One must keep in mind that the area was the home of very harsh conditions. The air was quite thin and at night the temperature would drop well below freezing. The rainy seasons brought flooding and drought was also a big problem. In addition to this, in the beginning expansion was difficult because it was easier to grow crops closer to Lake Titicaca. At this point a big question is posed, why would anyone want to live in these conditions? This leads me to my point and the reason why I argue that the religious practice of the people of Tiwanaku did indeed shape the social, political, and cultural processes that fueled the rise of this …show more content…
They had festivals, where different groups from the surrounding area would gather and bond socially; the harsher the conditions, the bigger the festival. They whole heartedly believed that worship and working together was the key to success. One of the things that really stood out to me was the monumental core Tiwanaku. I find that the people of Tiwanaku built very complex monuments, which were home to key religious icons and provided dynamic spaces for rituals and activities. These monuments also made visual references to mountain peaks, natural elements such as water, and told stories of the ancestors of the Tiwanaku