The Tiwanaku Tradition within the Tambo Valley, Southern Coast of Peru: Interpretation of Burial Contexts from La Pampilla 1

Research at La Pampilla 1, Peru, reveals the existence of a significant terminal-phase Tiwanaku population in the Tambo Valley, dating between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries AD. This discovery challenges previous assumptions about the post-collapse trajectory of Tiwanaku communities, demonstrating their persistence and adaptation beyond the Moquegua Valley. The study analyzed burial contexts from the site, confirming the presence of Tumilaca funerary traditions—a hallmark of late Tiwanaku culture—despite the state's collapse around AD 1000. Radiocarbon dating and systematic excavation provided evidence of population relocation northward following the decline of Tiwanaku influence in the Moquegua Valley.

Szykulski, J., & Wanot, J. (2021). The Tiwanaku Tradition within the Tambo Valley, Southern Coast of Peru: Interpretation of Burial Contexts from La Pampilla 1. Latin American Antiquity, 32(3), 577–594. https://doi.org/10.1017/laq.2021.18