Before the Incas: Tiwanaku's Submerged Rituals Rewrite Andean Prehistory
New research reveals Tiwanaku, a pre-Inca polity around Lake Titicaca (500–1100 CE) with a likely population of 10,000–20,000, conducted elaborate ritual offerings submerged in the Khoa Reef, including puma incense burners, gold medallions with a rayed face, and the remains of four young llamas—evidence of elite-led ceremonies and a symbolic wealth display. Underwater surveys and 3D mapping also uncovered a large temple and artifacts, while a separate find at Palaspata on a hilltop suggests Tiwanaku controlled trade routes and had broader regional connections, hinting at early, interconnected complexity beyond the Incas.