Two states rise to power, Tiwanaku in the Bolivian altiplano (high plateau) and Wari in the south-central Andes. Tiwanaku, which may have been inhabited as early as 800 B.C., expands south to Bolivia, northern Chile, and adjacent Peru. Wari extends primarily to Peru’s central and southern coasts. Joined by roads and trade connections, networks of cities and smaller settlements are established in outlying areas. Striking similarities exist among the artworks of the two centers; however, important differences distinguish their architecture, stone sculpture, and urban planning. Ancient myths and beliefs appear to be reinterpreted in Tiwanaku’s religious imagery, and a distinctive new art style is seen in public architecture and sculpture worked in stone. At Wari, Tiwanaku-related iconography is incorporated that focuses on a staff-bearing deity. The deity is depicted in low relief on the monolithic stone Gateway of the Sun at Tiwanaku, where it is surrounded by winged attendant figures. The manufacture of sumptuous textiles, primarily in tapestry weave, and spectacular polychrome slip-painted ceramics reaches a high level of technical excellence. Metalworking, particularly in gold and silver, appears to decline during most of the period; perhaps metals no longer have the prestige they enjoyed in previous centuries, or rulers are less powerful and have lost control over the resources. After 900, metalworking resumes on a large scale.