Archaeology of Peru

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Cerro Baul, Peru
Excavating a Mountaintop City of Peru's First Empire

Delve into Peru's past with Field Museum Curator and archaeologist Dr. Patrick Ryan Williams to learn about the Wari and Tiwanaku, two ancient Andean empires that pre-date the Inca. Since 1998, Dr. Williams and his team have led excavations at Cerro Baúl, a remote mountaintop citadel where these two rival kingdoms shared religious practices and drinking rituals that helped cement a peaceful relationship for more than 400 years.

Check out the 2004 Expedition Archive, where you can read Dr. Williams's dispatches describing his field experiences, view amazing videos of how the ritual brew (called chicha) is made, and explore an interactive map containing more information and images of the team's fantastic finds at Cerro Baúl.

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At A Glance

Who:
Ryan Williams, Ph.D.
What:
Cultures
Where:
Cerro Baul, Peru
When:
June 2004

Meet the Scientist

Ryan Williams, Ph.D.
Associate Curator and Chair of Anthropology, The Field Museum
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