1,000 Years Ago in Peru: A Ritual of Fire and Beer
A millennium ago in Peru, after consuming a beer made from young corn flavored with pepper, ancient nobles set fire to the brewery and tossed their cups into the flames. This act was not considered vandalism but a religious ritual that took place before the Wari people abandoned their sacred city atop the flat-topped Cerro Baúl. The ruins remained intact for a millennium until researchers from the University of Florida discovered them and used the remnants to piece together the story.
The Wari were the ancestors of the Incas, establishing their city around 600 AD on Cerro Baúl—a 600-meter high flat-topped mountain in the Moquegua River valley. A population of over 1,000 lived under the Wari dynasty, close to the Tiwanaku region. Farmers resided in the valley amidst a complex system of canals, while the nobility lived atop the mountain.
“The summit is an impractical place to live,” said lead researcher Michael Moseley. People had to transport food, water, and other goods along a stony path from the valley below. He believes the Wari chose this location for political purposes to impress the Tiwanaku—its nearest city, just 8 kilometers away, with a population exceeding 10,000.
The Wari abandoned Cerro Baúl and all cultural remnants around 1000 AD. The reasons for their departure remain a mystery, yet they left behind evidence of a planned exodus. They cleared functional buildings but destroyed ceremonial structures, such as palaces, temples, and the brewery.
The final rituals, including a feast at the palace, culminated in setting fire to the flammable parts of the structures. Subsequently, the stone walls collapsed, covering and preserving the site for thousands of years.
The brewery became the most notable evidence. The discovered shawl pins indicate that noblewomen were involved in brewing. During Inca times, these noblewomen were referred to as “virgins of the sun” and also participated in beer production.
At Cerro Baúl, the brewers ground young corn, cooked it in ceramic pots, and fermented it in 150-liter jars for a week. Each brewing session could yield 1,800 liters of beer. Today, Peruvians still enjoy a similar beer known as chicha.
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Beer vessels for dignitaries. |
The last batch of beer was flavored with pepper, a special chicha reserved for the nobility. The remaining vessels indicate that 28 leaders attended the brewery’s courtyard, each with their own beer vessel. Those of lower status drank from 0.4-liter vessels, while the top four leaders had decorated 1.9-liter vessels.
After the lavish festivities, the building was set ablaze, and the beer vessels were thrown into the fire. As the embers cooled, necklaces and bracelets were placed atop the ash.
Many mysteries still await unraveling. Burial sites have yet to be found at Cerro Baúl, despite over 1,000 people having lived there for 400 years.
M.T. (according to Newscientist)
