The Ancient Americas

Featured Cultures

Wari Society
The powerful society known as the Wari stretched along the central highlands of Peru between AD 500 and 1000. Their rulers governed from the capital city, also called Wari.

At the height of their power, the Wari expanded from their homeland in the mountains by conquering neighboring groups and forming strategic alliances. Their territory stretched for over 800 miles and incorporated diverse peoples and ethnic groups in central Peru. By bringing other societies and ethnic groups under their rule they became an empire—the first in the Andes.

Settlement Patterns
Like large societies today, Wari society was made up of different ethnic groups and classes of people. Wari rulers managed these groups of people by creating a hierarchy—settlements of different sizes and importance across the region.

To manage local populations and resources in newly conquered lands, the Wari built large towns. They used these towns as regional capitals; each acted as a local seat from which elite governors supervised smaller towns and villages.

Stratified Society
Wari administrators were a varied group. Some were high-status Wari sent from the capital city to supervise outer regions. Other leaders were from conquered territories—but were made part of Wari government to maintain control of their local regions.

Archaeologists see Wari officials represented in figurines, textiles, and other artifacts. The way officials are dressed shows they came from different regions of the empire and indicates their rank.

These figurines also indicate the role that warfare, alliances, and the military played in helping Wari rulers maintain their position in society.

Other People and Places

Wari society ruled over an empire of diverse ethnic groups roughly from AD 500 to 1000, during the same time...

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