In the Ayacucho region of Peru, a research team has discovered a Wari-culture mountain shrine containing "gold-leafed" sun-masks and miniature silver llama figurines. Located on a ridge overlooking the valley, the site aligns perfectly with the winter solstice sunrise. This discovery provides a missing link in the evolution of the Inti Raymi (Festival of the Sun), showing that the Inca inherited and expanded upon centuries-old Wari solar traditions.
The shrine's central platform was paved with iridescent shell fragments, designed to reflect the sun's first rays during the solstice dawn. According to lead researchers, the site functioned as a regional solar observatory where priests calculated the start of the agricultural new year, a practice that eventually became the centerpiece of the vast Inca imperial festival system.