Empire · 600–1000 · Northern South America

Wari Empire

Also known as Huari Empire

The Wari state rose around 600 CE in the Ayacucho valley of the central Peruvian highlands, with its capital at Huari, a city covering several square kilometres. Many archaeologists see Wari as the first true empire of the Andes: it built planned administrative centres such as Pikillacta near Cusco and Viracochapampa in the north, linked by roads, and moved colonists to expand terrace farming.

Wari officials probably kept records on khipus, knotted cords later used by the Inca. Wari shared religious imagery, notably a staff-holding god, with Tiwanaku to the south, and the two powers met but seem to have avoided major war. Around 1000 Wari collapsed, perhaps because of drought and internal unrest, leaving a patchwork of regional states.

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Years

600–1000

Capital

Huari, near modern Ayacucho

Greatest extent

800, about 400,000 km²

Region

Northern South America

Much of the Peruvian highlands and coast (rough estimate)