Pucará facts for kids
Area of influence
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| Geographical range | Puno, Qullaw |
|---|---|
| Period | Formative |
| Dates | c. 1400 BCE - 400 CE |
| Type site | Pukara |
| Preceded by | Jisk'a Iru Muqu |
| Followed by | Tiwanaku Empire |
The Pucará culture was an ancient civilization. It lived near Lake Titicaca in the Andes mountains. This culture was one of the first big urban groups in the Titicaca basin. They built a large town called Pukara. This town was their main center. The Pucará culture existed from about 1400 BCE to 400 CE.
The Pucará People
The Pucará culture grew in the Qullaw region. This area is along the northwest side of Lake Titicaca. They had many smaller towns and villages. These were all controlled from their main city, Pukara. This city was about 6 square kilometers big. It was the first true city in the Titicaca basin.
Their influence spread far. It reached the Cuzco Valley in the north. It also went as far south as Tiwanaku. The Pucará culture developed in two main time periods. These were the Middle Formative (1400 to 550 BC) and the Late Formative (550 BC to 400 AD).
How They Lived
The Pucará people were skilled farmers and herders. They also fished in Lake Titicaca. They raised alpacas for wool and meat. They built special raised fields called "ridges and furrows." These allowed them to grow crops in areas that sometimes flooded. This way, they could farm a lot even in the high mountains.
They learned a lot about hydraulics, which is how water moves. They also became good at building. This knowledge helped them control different environments. They set up permanent settlements along the western Andes slopes. These were in valleys like Cuzco and Moquegua. Later, the Tiwanaku culture used similar ideas.
Their Art and Craft
The Pucará culture was known for its amazing art. They created unique sculptures and pottery. This was especially true in their later period. Their pottery was very colorful. It was made with great skill. They created many non-useful items, like human and animal figures.
Pucará pottery and textiles have been found in many places. They are seen in the central Andes and along the Pacific coast. Their art reached into parts of Peru and Chile.
The End of Pucará
Around 200 AD, the powerful Tiwanaku Empire began to rise. This may have caused the Pucará culture to weaken. People from Tiwanaku later took over Pucará settlements. It is thought that Tiwanaku leaders saw Pukara as a sacred place. They might have even believed it was their paqarina, or place of origin.
The Tiwanaku people copied Pucará's building style. They used many workers and engineers to build their own capital. This was in the Tiwanaku Valley. It is possible that Pucará sculptures became very important religious items. Owning them might have shown power and status.
The name Pucará comes from the word Pukara. This word refers to fortresses or defense buildings. These were built much later, during the Late Intermediate Period.
See also
In Spanish: Cultura pucará para niños
