THE CULTURE OF TIAHUANACO.

Tiahuanaco is located on the Southern shore of Lake Titicaca at a height of 13,000 feet. This culture thrived at the breathless, oxygen deprived height and managed to move stones weighing up to 200 tons and invented modular building techniques that would even today, be cutting edge.
The fact that the culture of Tiahuanaco appeared fully developed in this high altitude, arid and inhospitable land is a real puzzle. Almost immediately they seem to have used advanced building techniques like modules construction. Huge blocks were carved from single stones and designed to fit together on the site with exact precision and artistic style. The massive blocks are extremely stable resisting both time and earthquakes. They were made, transported and positioned apparently by hand.
Tiahuanaco was the capital of an empire that extended into the present-day Peru and Bolivia, and is believed to be one of the most important cities of ancient South America.
Tiahuanaco is now about 800 feet above the level of Lake Titicaca, but most archaeologists agree that it was once a port. In the past, the Lake was much higher and its shores lapped Tiahuanaco. Structures found in Lake Titicaca show that the sea levels changed dramatically throughout history.
It is unknown how old these ruins are but some researchers suggest that they date to 14,000 years BC.
There is evidence that architectural structures exist at the bottom of the Lake Titicaca, suggesting that the civilization existed before the Lake was formed. Many scientists believe that the Lake formed during some great flood dating back thousands of years.
The region was believed to have been populated by about 100,000 people. This estimation is based on the amount of pottery and other artifacts that remain in the land area. Multiple grid and maze like structures throughout Tiahuanaco, visible only because of the discoloration of the underlying soil, were discovered to be an ancient network of gardens and canals, capable of growing potatoes and other crops. The plan was ingenious. Canals were placed in grids that surrounded the narrow garden. The depth of this canals was kept to from 24 to 30 inches so that the strong daytime sunlight could easily warm the water. In the evening, when the frigid air caused frost, the canals vented their stored heat in the form of a fog. This kept the temperature around the plants elevated above freezing and also helped irrigate them. The canals were constructed in a well planned and artistic pattern. This further indicate the intellect and aesthetic appreciation of this people.
One of the most famous icon of the archaeological site at Tiahuanaco and still standing is the Portal of the Sun. It is approximately 3 meters tall and carved on a single block of stone. When first discovered in the mid-19th century, the Portal was lying horizontally and had a large crack going through it. It currently stands in the same location where it was found, although it is believed that this is not its original location. Where the exact location was remain uncertain. The figures that decorate the Portal have astronomical connotations and resemble human-like beings with wings and curled-up tails, and appear to be wearing rectangular helmets.
Discoveries of the apparent advanced knowledge that their engineers seemed to possess reflects thousands of years ahead of other cultures. They knew that the earth was a globe which rotated on its axis and they calculated exactly the time of eclipses, even those not visible at Tiahuanaco but visible in the opposite hemisphere. They also divided the circle mathematically into 264 degrees; and determined the correct ratio pi (22/7), and they were able to calculate squares roots.
The Sun-God in the centre of the Portal is sculpted with rays emitting from his face in all directions. He also appears to be holding a staff in each hand. The Sun-God figure is also called the 'Weeping God' because things similar to tears are carved on its face.
Some people believe that this Portal was used as a calendar because it appears to reflect a solar year of their time. Others have attempted to explain this as being a ritualistic calendar from some other planet or galaxy. The calendar has 290 days, divided into 12 months of 24 days each, plus 2 intercalary days added to make the cycle complete.  Other theories suggest that it was an inter-dimensional Portal between the three realms that they believed existed parallel to the realm of the living.
The religion of Tiahuanaco centered around the cult of the universe and the creator god Vira-Cocha.
Andean legends claim that the area around Lake Titicaca was the cradle of the first humans on Earth. According to their creation myth, Lord Vira-Cocha, the creator of all things, chose Tiahuanaco as the place of creation.
Creation Myth: In the beginning, Lord Con-Tiki-Vira-Cocha (Foam of the Sea), prince and creator of all things, emerged from the void and created the earth and the heavens.
Then he created animals and a race of giants who lived in eternal darkness as he had neglected to create a source of light. These beings enraged the Lord, and he turned them into stone. Then he flooded the earth till all was under water, and all life extinguished.
In a new start, he created the sun, moon, and stars. Now he created new birds and animals.
Again he decided to form human beings, these he fashioned from stone. Some he painted with long hair, some with short hair, some women he painted as pregnant, some as caring for babies fashined beside them; and on each figure he painted the clothes they would continue to wear.
Finally he divided the stone figures into groups, giving each group its own language, its own food to grow, and its own songs to sing.
Then he buried all the figures in the earth to await his command that would bring them to life.
Vira-Cocha then summoned his helpers and told them to go forth on the earth in different directions to prepare places for the new humans to occupy.
Vira-Cocha then traveled the land, calling each group into life as he passed the land they were to populate, whereupon he taught them how to live on the land selected for them.
Vira-Cocha and his companion finished with their teaching process and walking on the waves of the ocean they disappear toward the setting sun.