Engulfed In Skin

It is theorized the LAAR complex as well as its surrounding temples, the Akapana pyramid, Kalasasaya, Putuni, and Kerikala functioned as spiritual and ritual centers for the Tiwanaku. This area might have been viewed as the center of the ominous underworld, attracting pilgrims from far away to marvel in its beauty. These structures transformed the local landscape; LAAR was purposely integrated with Illimani mountain, a sacred peak that the Tiwanaku possibly believed to be home to the spirits of their dead. This area was believed to have existed between heaven and Earth. The spiritual significance and the sense of wonder would have been amplified into a "mind-altering and life-changing experience" through the use of hallucinogenic plants. Examinations of nail samples exhibit remnants of psychoactive substances in many mummies found in Tiwanaku culture mummies from Northern Skies, even those of babies as young as one year of age, demonstrating the importance of these substances to the Tiwanaku