Monolith of the Frail, Stone monolith in Tiwanaku archaeological site, Bolivia.
The Monolith of the Frail stands approximately 2.4 meters tall and is carved from a single block of stone, featuring detailed depictions of a human figure wearing ceremonial attire with intricate facial features, stylized plaits, and ritual items including a snuff tray.
This monolithic sculpture was created during the height of the Tiwanaku civilization between the eighth and tenth centuries AD, when the city served as a major cultural and political center that influenced large portions of the Andean region.
The monolith represents a priest or religious figure and was likely used in ceremonial activities, reflecting the spiritual beliefs and artistic sophistication of the Tiwanaku people who developed complex systems of reciprocity and knowledge exchange rather than conquest.
Visitors can access the monolith at the Tiwanaku archaeological site, located approximately 70 kilometers from La Paz in the La Paz Department, with entry fees including access to two on-site museums displaying artifacts and stone sculptures.
The sculpture exhibits unusual magnetic properties and is positioned on secondary platforms connected by stairways, demonstrating the advanced quarrying and carving techniques employed by ancient Tiwanaku craftsmen who transported massive stone blocks from locations up to 10 kilometers away.
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