Huari

A tomb at Huari
Shown within Peru
Location	Peru Huamanga Province, Ayacucho
Coordinates	13°03′38″S 74°11′56″W / 13.06056°S 74.19889°W / -13.06056; -74.19889
Type	Settlement
History
Founded	400 AD
Abandoned	1000 AD
Periods	Middle Horizon
Cultures	Huari culture

Huari^[1] or Wari^[2] is an archaeological site located near the town of Quinua, 22 km northeast of the city of Ayacucho, in the Ayacucho Region, Peru at an elevation between 2600 and 2900 meters.^[2] It was the capital city of the Huari Empire and one of the largest urban settlements in ancient Peru.^[2]

History

Huari was founded ca. 400 AD and gained prominence around 550 AD.^[1] At its height, the city was inhabited by around 70,000 people^[1][2] from different cultures, making it the center of a new religion that synthesized the beliefs of those various peoples.^[1] The city was abandoned ca. 1000 AD.^[1]

Layout

The archaeological site spans an area of 2000 hectares, and comprises several areas or neighborhoods.^[2] Buildings are made of stone and mudbrick, and painted in red and white.^[2] Many of the structures had residential, administrative or religious purposes.^[2]