Chavín de Huántar
Open daily 8am ? 5pm. Entrance $3.
The ruins of Chavín de Huántar are some of the most historically important in Peru, as this was the main ceremonial centre for the Chavín culture, the first major culture in South America. The site was completely buried in mud from landslides from the Cordillera Blanca, the last of which occurred in 1945. Additionally, the Rio Mosna occasionally bursts its banks and affects the site. Nevertheless, the site is in good condition, and is particularly noteworthy for its fine carvings.
The Chavín culture emerged around 2,000BC, and its influence spread as far north as Cajamarca, although it now appears likely that Chavín de Huántar was not the exclusive centre for the culture, and that the Chavín culture had many local centres of development throughout the region. The temple at Chavín de Huántar was built around 1,000BC.
The site has received many visits from explorers since the 17th century, including visits by Raymondi, after whom the Stela Raymondi is named. However, it was the Peruvian archaeologist Julio C. Tello in the 20th century who examined the site most thoroughly.
The site consists of a number of stone temples, some of which are still covered in mud. The facade of the finest temples is in finely cut granite that was brought from a quarry 30km away. The three finest carvings found in Chavín are the Raymondi Stela, the Tello Obelisk and the Lanzón, all of which represent the gods of the culture. The finest of these is the 5m-high Lanzón, which is located in Galería Lanzón temple, and was probably the main deity in the Chavín religion. The incredible carvings on all three stones represent anthro-zoomorphic figures, including crosses between feline and human images. The original Raymondi Stela and Tello Obelisk are now in the Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Antropología in Pueblo Libre in Lima, although copies are displayed at Chavín. Probably the only reason that the Lanzón was not taken to Lima is that it is impossible to remove it from its location without damaging the structure of the temple.
In addition to the main carvings, Chavín is famous for its Cabezas Clavas, or carved heads. These once adorned the walls of many of the temples, although only one is still in its original place. However, there are many heads on display throughout the complex, each of which is slightly different. Some are clearly human, others also have distinct animal features, whereas there are also some which represent mythological figures.
The Plaza Cuadrada, the main square, is a 49m by 49m square that was probably used for large religious ceremonies, and the Tello Obelisk stood in the middle. There were important temples on all four sides of the square, although only two of these have been properly cleared. Parts of the temples were originally plastered with mud and painted. Each of the temples contained tunnels, some of which can still be entered. These were the ceremonial centres of Chavín, as well as serving as living quarters. The four temples that can be entered are the Galería Doble Mensula, the Galería de los Laberintos, the Galería de los Cautivos and the Galería Lanzón, where the Lanzón can be seen.
It is worth taking a guided tour around the site, and there are guides in English and Spanish at the entrance. These charge $6 for a two-hour tour, enough time to see the whole site. The ruins are a two-minute walk from the town of Chavín.
There are several craft stalls in the ruins selling models of the cabezas clavas and other local items.
Tours to Chavín de Huántar
Many agencies in Huaraz offer day trips to Chavín, including stops at a lake on the route and a tour of the ruins. This allows around 2 hours in the ruins themselves, which is enough time to see them, although it is slightly rushed. It is more pleasant to spend a night in Chavín and explore the ruins and the area with a bit more calm. Tours to Chavín cost around $7-8 per person.
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