Chavin de Huantar is the main archeological center of the Chavin Culture, which is considered one of the oldest civilizations of Peru and America.
The archeological complex is located in the Peruvian region of Ancash, 462 Kilometers (286 miles) northeast Lima in the Andes at 3150 meters (10335 feet) over sea level, in the basin of the Santa River, near the city of Huaraz. It is a representative site of early monumental architecture in Peru and is one of the oldest urban settlements of the New World.
The archeological complex is composed by several stone structures such as temples, squares and other buildings. It highlights the Old Temple, which is the oldest structures of Chavin de Huantar; the Old Temple is an inward structure with a labyrinthine net of passageways and tunnels constructed around a circular courtyard.
This temple contains some of the most famous stone sculptures of the pre-Colombian South America, like the “Monolithic Lanzon”, which is a large (5 meters height) stone sculpture with dagger shape, which represents the supreme deity of the Chavin Civilization, an anthropomorphic figure with feline head and human body.
The New Temple is composed like the Old Temple by a gallery of passages and a square. This temple contains also several sculptures, including representations of the Lanzon (the main deity) holding a Strombusshell in the right hand and a Spondylus shell in the left hand. The passages of the new temple and the old temple are constantly in darkness, apparently with ceremonial purposes.
Another important part of Chavin is the main square of the complex, which is a large circular area (20 meters diameter) that was used as a ceremonial center in the public religious rituals.
It estimates that this square was built around 700 BC. It is bounded by three temples and its floor was made of pillow-shaped pavers of yellow diatomite. The walls that surrounded the square were made of cut granite.
Others impressive elements of the Chavin architectural style are the “Cabezas Clavas” (nailed heads), which are big stones sculptures that represent heads of anthropomorphic deities with feline features. These sculptures are embedded on the walls of most Chavin structures and constitute the main feature of the Chavin architectural style.
In Chavin de Huantar, there are many examples of the mastery that Chavin people reached in the carving of stone. In addition to the “Monolithic Lanzon” and the “Cabezas Clavas”; it highlights also the “Tello Obelisk”, the “Lintel of jaguars” and the “Portico of the Falconidas”, which are masterpieces of stone carving.
The Chavin civilization flourished between 900 BC and 200 BC. Archeologists believe that Chavin de Huantar was constructed in the IX century BC; during a period known as “Early Horizon”. At that time, it believes that Chavin de Huantar was the main center of religious pilgrimage in the ancient Peru.
Scientists think that Chavin was a great center of power, which influenced almost all the ancient Peru, using the religion. Apparently, only the religious elite of Chavin could access the interior of the temples of Chavin de Huantar, this privilege was an evidence of their power.
It doesn’t know the reason of the Chavin’s declination. Nevertheless, most scientists believe that Chavin people were tired of the abuses of their leaders; therefore, they rebelled against the elite that lived in Chavin de Huantar.
Another theory suggests that the advent of natural disasters like the “Niño” Phenomenon, destroyed the trust that the people put in their leaders, who based his power in their alleged control of nature. Anyway, by the II century DC, the Chavin civilization had disappeared almost completely.
Nevertheless, Chavin de Huantar was a place very respected even several centuries after Chavin’s declination. In the colonial time, Spaniards also admired this monolithic site. The Spanish chronicler Pedro Cieza de León (1553) described Chavin de Huantar as a magnificent construction made by a race of giants, not by common men.
The archeological complex of Chavin de Huantar was discovered in the modern time, by the Peruvian archeologist Julio C. Tello, who studied Chavin de Huantar between 1919 and 1941.
The work of Tello in this place was one of the main evidence of the indigenous origin of the Peruvian culture and the high degree of technological advancement that was reached by the Andean man since very early time.
Chavin de Huantar was object of several investigations, including a work made by the Dr. Luis Lumbreras, who made several excavations in the main square, between 1960 and 1972. Lumbreras discovered several new structures and Chavin items, which led to know much more about the people who inhabited this place.
Chavin de Huantar was declared World Heritage by UNESCO in 1985. Currently this place is managed by the INC (National Culture Institute of Peru). The complex is around 4 hours by car from Huaraz and admission costs about $15.
It is one of the most important archeological centers of South America and a true jewel of the indigenous Peruvian Culture.