Spatial Configuration in Tiwanaku Art: A Review of Stone Carved Imagery and Staff Gods

Research on Tiwanaku stone carvings (South-Central Andes, AD 600-1000) reveals that the spatial configuration of imagery surrounding 'Staff Gods' suggests these figures were likely human representations engaged in ritual actions rather than divine entities. This challenges traditional interpretations by proposing Andean divine anthropomorphism, where deities are depicted with human traits. The study compares Tiwanaku iconography with Moche and Recuay configurations to support this hypothesis, offering new insights into the cultural and symbolic significance of these artifacts.

Viau-Courville, M. (2014). Spatial Configuration in Tiwanaku Art: A Review of Stone Carved Imagery and Staff Gods. Boletín Del Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino, 19(2), 9–28. https://doi.org/10.4067/s0718-68942014000200002