What happened
Set on the cold, high Altiplano, Tiwanaku built monumental stone architecture, including the Gateway of the Sun and the Akapana pyramid. It supported large populations through raised-field farming and llama herding.
Background
Tiwanaku spread its religion, art, and influence across the southern Andes through colonies and exchange rather than outright conquest. It was one of the two great Middle Horizon powers alongside Wari.
Consequences
The civilization declined by around AD 1000, perhaps amid prolonged drought. Its ruins remained a sacred place, and the later Inca claimed a connection to them.