Hallucinogens and Altered States of Consciousness in Cusco, Peru: A Path to Local Power during Wari State Expansion
Cambridge Archaeological Journal August 1, 2019 Véronique Bélisle 10 citations
During the Wari state's expansion in the Peruvian Middle Horizon (AD 600–1000), elite-sponsored feasts with corn beer reinforced state power. New evidence from the site of Ak'awillay in the Cusco region shows that local people continued using hallucinogens, as indicated by paraphernalia and ritual spaces uncovered in large excavations. These practices differed fundamentally from Wari elite rituals. The people of Ak'awillay maintained access to low-altitude areas outside Wari control to obtain hallucinogens and esoteric knowledge. This suggests that at least some residents operated independently of the Wari state, preserving local authority over religious life despite the state's regional presence.