The center cannot hold: A Bayesian chronology for the collapse of Tiwanaku

A rapid, city-wide collapse of Tiwanaku occurred between approximately AD 1010 and 1050, lasting just 20 years. This finding is based on a Bayesian chronology derived from 102 radiocarbon dates, including 45 unpublished ones, which tracked four key community practices: monument construction, ceramic discard, burial rituals, and residence patterns. The study reveals that violent deaths became prevalent around AD 910, with ritualized murders concentrated in the century leading up to AD 1020. Monument building ceased earlier, around AD 720, while temporary camps persisted until roughly AD 1050. This collapse was not linked to reduced precipitation, as it predated drought conditions, and suggests a cascading breakdown of social networks anchored at Tiwanaku, though some traditions were sustained by resilient communities elsewhere.

Marsh, E. J., Vranich, A., Blom, D., Bruno, M., Davis, K., Augustine, J., Couture, N. C., Ancapichún, S., Knudson, K. J., Popović, D., & Cunietti, G. (2023). The center cannot hold: A Bayesian chronology for the collapse of Tiwanaku. Plos One, 18(11), e0288798. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0288798