ONTARIO, CANADA—Live Science reports that excavations at the site of Quilcapampa in southern Peru uncovered 16 vilca seeds and the remains of a fermented fruit drink known as chicha de molle near buildings thought to have been used for feasting by the Wari some 1,200 years ago. Vilca, explained Justin Jennings of the Royal Ontario Museum, is a psychoactive substance that can induce hallucinations. Mixing it with chicha de molle may have made it even more potent, Jennings explained. “Almost certainly, it would have been a spiritual experience,” he said. Vilca seeds would have come to Quilcapampa through long-distance trade networks. By sharing them with guests, Wari leaders may have been creating social bonds and building loyalty, added Matthew Biwer of Dickinson College. Chemical analysis of the seeds could help the researchers identify the exact source of the vilca and understand the trade routes employed by the Wari elite. Read the original scholarly article about this research in Antiquity. To read about a mountaintop chicha brewery in southern Peru, go to "Alcohol Through the Ages: Forging Wari Alliances."
