Tiwanaku Civilization’s Temple Discovered in Bolivia

Archaeologists in Bolivia discovered an old complex about 215 km (130 miles) south-east of the historic site of Tiwanaku, where a large modular building with an integrated and pressed courtyard strongly resembles a Tiwanaku terrased platform temple and demonstrates a substantial investment.

The isometric reconstruction of the Palaspata Temple rendered with 3 m high walls. Image credit: Capriles and al., DOI: 10.15184 / AQY.2025.59.

An ancient society near the southern shores of Lake Titicaca in modern Bolivia was once one of the most powerful civilizations on the continent.

Known as Tiwanaku, society is widely considered by archaeologists as one of the first examples of civilization in the Andes and a precursor of the Inca Empire, but it mysteriously disappeared about a thousand years ago.

“A large part of Tiwanaku civilization remains unknown,” said Penn State archaeologist José Capriles.

“Their society collapsed around around 1000 EC and was a ruin when the Incas conquered the Andes in the 15th century.”

“At its peak, it had a highly organized societal structure, leaving remains of architectural monuments such as pyramids, terraced temples and monoliths, most of which are distributed in sites around Lake Titicaca and, although we know the control and influence of Tiwanaku.”

“The newly discovered temple complex is located about 215 km south of the established historic site in Tiwanaku, at the top of a hill that was known to local indigenous farmers but was never explored in depth by researchers because of its unpretentious location.”

“However, the position of the site is in fact very strategic.”

At the time of Tiwanaku, the place connected three main commercial routes against three very different ecosystems: the productive highlands around Lake Titicaca in the north, the ideal arid Altiplano to develop llamas in the west and the east-productive productive of productive cochabamba.

As such, researchers understood that the site should have some importance to connect people.

“People have moved, exchanged and built monuments in important places throughout the arid mountains landscape,” said Dr. Capriles.

“After noticing a plot of non -mapped quadrangular terrain, we used various techniques to view the area.”

“Because the features are very low, we have mixed various satellite images.”

“We also made a series of UAV flights or unmanned air vehicles to acquire better photos.”

“By means of photogrammetry, a technique that uses photos to build a 3D approximation, we have obtained a more detailed rendering of the structure and its topography.”

“Stone alignments have revealed an old temple, called Palaspata after the native name of the region.”

“The temple complex measures approximately 125 m long by 145 m wide and includes 15 quadrangular speakers arranged around a rectangular interior courtyard.”

“Its arrangement seems to be aligned to carry out rituals after the solar equinox, the moment when the sun is directly above the equator.”

The Palaspata Temple. Image credit: Capriles and al., DOI: 10.15184 / AQY.2025.59.

Using the data they have collected, scientists have developed a reconstruction to reveal what the old Palaspata temple might look like.

The surface of the temple contained many fragments of Keru cups. The cups were used to drink chicha, a traditional corn beer, during festivals and agricultural celebrations and highlight the function of the temple as a central center for trade.

The fact that corn was not cultivated locally but cultivated in the Cochabamba valleys against the high altitude site underlines the importance of the temple in facilitation of access to various products, including food and connection of different culinary traditions.

“The temple probably served a religious objective, as evidenced by the designated ritual zones as well as by its physical mediation trade and the distribution of crops,” said Dr. Capriles.

“Most economic and political transactions had to be publicized by the divinity, because it would be a common language which would facilitate that various individuals cooperate, because religion was often the common ground which linked different groups.”

“The discovery was a surprise even for local residents,” said Justo Ventura Guarayo, mayor of the municipality of Caracollo where the site is located.

“The archaeological results of Palaspata are important because they highlight a crucial aspect of our local heritage which had been completely neglected.”

“This discovery is vital for our community, and we think that its documentation will be invaluable to promote tourism and present the rich history of our region.”

The team’s article was published today in the newspaper Antiquity.

_____

José M. Capriles and al. 2025. Gate from the East: the Palaspata Temple and the South East expansion of the state of Tiwanaku. Antiquity 99 (405): 831-849; DOI: 10.15184 / AQY.2025.59