500 Years Before The Incas, This Civilization Ruled The Andes

The mysterious Inca Empire is a source of endless fascination to many, representing the largest and most elaborate society of pre-Columbian America.

But long before the west coast of South America was ruled by the Incas, an even more enigmatic society inhabited the Andes, and we're still finding fragments of their ancient story today.

This older empire was called the Tiwanaku polity (previously known as the Tiwanaku state). At their peak, they may have only numbered 10,000 to 20,000 people.

What scarce details we do know about the Tiwanaku polity come from archaeological finds, uncovering a trail of clues about the Tiwanaku people and their long-gone culture.

A major piece of the puzzle came in 2019.