Religious Exchange Between Rivals While the Wari and Tiwanaku were quite different economically and politically, their similar religious practices acted as a unifying force. For example, both cultures worshipped the same principal deity, Wiracocha the “staff god,” who controlled life and death. Wari typically portrayed the staff god on ceramics, while Tiwanaku preferred stone. Another essential sacrament shared by both cultures revolved around chicha, an alcoholic beer made most often from maize (corn). During drinking rituals, inferiors and superiors cemented their relationship by imbibing chicha in massive quantities. Keros (drinking cups) found at Cerro Baúl show a blending of artistic styles that reveal an exchange of religious iconography between the neighboring Wari and Tiwanaku peoples. And finally, part of the secret to their successful relationship may also be attributed to Cerro Baúl’s role as a ritual center. Even today, the mesa is revered as an apu or sacred place that serves as a pilgrimage destination for making offerings to the mountain’s spirit. continue >>