Tiwanaku Sealings and Signet Rings: Authority Transmission in the Ancient Andes

Archaeological evidence from the Tiwanaku culture reveals the use of sealings and signet rings as tools for transmitting authority, identity, and authenticity across distant regions during the early Andean state (AD 500–1100). Sealings recovered from Omo M10 temple, a provincial center, and Muru Ut Pata neighborhood in the capital, along with a signet ring from Akapana East complex, demonstrate a previously undocumented system of authority transmission. This finding offers new insights into how early Andean societies maintained control and legitimacy over time and space.

Goldstein, P. S., Davis, K. M., Baitzel, S., & Sitek, M. (2022). Tiwanaku Sealings and Signet Rings: Authority Transmission in the Ancient Andes. Latin American Antiquity, 33(4), 863–869. https://doi.org/10.1017/laq.2022.42