Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [353]
Sights
CHAVÍN DE HUÁNTAR RUINS
This archaeological site (adult/student S11/5; 8am-5pm), a Unesco World Heritage site since 1985, is thought to be the only large structure left behind by the Chavín culture, one of the oldest wide-ranging civilizations on the continent. Quite possibly a major ceremonial center, it’s a stupendous achievement of ancient construction, with large temple-like structures above ground and labyrinthine (electronically lit) underground tunnels. Although squatters built on top of the ruins or carried away stone treasures and a large portion of the area was covered by a huge landslide during an earthquake in 1945, this site is still intact enough to provide a full-bodied glimpse into one of Peru’s oldest cultures.
Chavín is a series of older and newer temple arrangements built between 1200 BC and 800 BC. In the middle is a massive central square, slightly sunken below ground level, with an intricate and well-engineered system of channels for drainage. From the square, a broad staircase leads up to the single entrance of the largest and most important building, the Castillo, which has withstood some mighty earthquakes over the years. Built on three different levels of dry stone masonry the walls here were at one time embellished with tenons (keystones of large projecting blocks carved to resemble human heads with animal or perhaps hallucinogen-induced characteristics). Only one of these remains in its original place, although the others may be seen in the local museum related to the site.
A series of tunnels underneath the Castillo are an exceptional feat of engineering, comprising a maze of complex alleys, ducts and chambers. In the heart of this complex is an exquisitely carved, 4.5m rock of white granite known as the Lanzón de Chavín. In typical terrifying Chavín fashion, the low-relief carvings on the Lanzón represent a person with snakes radiating from his head and a ferocious set of fangs, most likely feline. The Lanzón, almost certainly an object of worship given its prominent, central placement in this ceremonial center, is sometimes referred to as the Smiling God – but its aura feels anything but friendly.
Several beguiling construction quirks, such as the strange positioning of water channels and the use of highly polished minerals to reflect light, led Stanford archaeologists to believe that the complex was used as an instrument of shock and awe. To instill fear in nonbelievers, priests manipulated sights and sounds. They blew on echoing Strombus trumpets, amplified the sounds of water running through specially designed channels and reflected sunlight through ventilation shafts. The disoriented were probably given hallucinogens like San Pedro cactus shortly before entering the darkened maze. These tactics endowed the priests with awe-inspiring power.
The new, outstanding Museo Nacional de Chavín (45-4011; admission free; 9am-5pm Tue-Sun), funded jointly by the Peruvian and Japanese governments, houses most of the intricate and horrifyingly carved tenons, as well as the magnificent Tello Obelisk, another stone object of worship with low relief carvings of a caiman and other fierce animals. The obelisk had been housed in a Lima museum since the 1945 earthquake that destroyed much of the original museum, and was only returned to Chavín in 2009.
To get the most from your visit, it’s worth hiring a guide to show you around (S25) or go on a guided day trip (including transportation) from Huaraz; this latter option is by far the most budget-friendly way to see these ruins, especially since it can be difficult to get a bus back to Huaraz from Chavín late in the day – you may get stuck in a high-priced colectivo (S20).
CENTRO ARTESANAL CEO CHAVÍN
A few hundred meters along the road to Huari, Centro Artesanal CEO Chavín (Tello Sur 350; dawn-dusk) sells locally made textiles, alpaca weavings and stone carvings – visit in the afternoon to see weavers weaving wildly.
Activities