Steady Supply Of Beer Kept Ancient Wari Empire Intact For 500 Years

[Judi Lynn]

21 April 2019, 12:12 pm EDT By Maui Hermitanio Tech Times

Brewing a steady supply of beer to serve during festivities could have helped the ancient Wari civilization's political stability in its 500 years of existence.

In their latest research that probed how beer is crucial to the longevity of an empire, a team of anthropologists from the Field Museum recreated ancient brewing techniques. They concluded that beer really helped form unity among the populations of the ancient civilization and the shared identity and cultural practices that help stabilize societies are still relevant up to today.

The Wari Empire And Beer Diplomacy
Over a thousand years ago, the Wari empire existed in Peru even before the Inca civilization. This empire lasted from 600AD to 1100AD and developed in the mountainous valley of Ayacucho in Central Peru that is largely influenced by the Tiwanaku culture of Bolivia. It is believed that the Wari state created its large sphere of power with the help of political force, and was probably the first centrally governed state of the Andes.

For several centuries, the Wari leaders and their rivals from the Tiwanaku empire gathered and held festivities together with the local communities. They drank vessels of the beer-like beverage called chicha de molle that was made from fermented corn and pepper berries.

More:
https://www.techtimes.com/articles/241949/20190421/steady-supply-of-beer-kept-ancient-wari-empire-intact-for-500-years.htm

Wonderful architectural images from the Wari/Huari empire in Ayacucho, Peru:

https://tinyurl.com/y36uremb