The Chavin
Mr. Wilson
Wren High School
CHAVIN
•They extended their influence to other civilizations along the
coast.
Elevation: Cajarma (2750 m (9022 ft) / Cusco (around 3400 m (11200 ft)
Chavin (3180 meters (10430 ft) / Pachacamac (50-100m)
Architecture



Created a successful
drainage system.
Several canals built
under the temple
acted as drainage,.
The Chavín showed
advanced acoustic
understanding.
Metallurgy
Metallurgy

Knew soldering,
and used early
techniques to
develop refined
gold work.

Used early
techniques to
develop refined
gold work (the
melting of metal
had been
discovered at this
point and was
used as a solder)
Art

1.
2.
Chavín pottery with respect to
shape reveals two kinds of
vessels:
Polyhedrous carved type.
Globular painted type.
Art (Stela de Raimondi)
12
10
Religion
The nature-based iconography
of anthropomorphic figures
which utilizes a feline theme is
one of the broad and
characteristic traits of Chavín
culture.
Religion: Few deities
The main deity is
characterized by
long fangs and
long hair made of
snakes.
God responsible for
balancing
opposing forces.
Agriculture and drainage
system

They developed elaborated irrigation
systems to assist the growth of potato,
peanut, quinoa, and maize.
• The Chavin de Huantar temple is an example of
architecture and control of the enviroment. The
temple's design shows complex innovation to adapt to
the highland environments of Peru.
Government
• The priests, the administrators, and wealthy
traders probably made up an elite group of
rulers in the community. There also must
also been a big pool of laborers to build the
large temples of Chavín de Huántar. It is
likely that nearby farming villages sent
crews of workers to public building projects
as a kind of tribute payment to the religious
center.
Economy
• The economy of the region seems to have
been driven by the temple. As the Chavín
religion spread, people traveled to Chavín
de Huántar from all over the Andes,
bringing gifts and tribute for the priests and
oracles and greatly enriching the city.
Traders who lived in or near the ceremonial
center also traveled, taking Chavín goods
and ideas to remote parts of present-day
Peru.
Economy Cont.
• Aside from being expert stone
carvers, the Chavín people
were potters, bead makers,
weavers, and metalworkers.
Decline
• People scattered, abandoning the areas
of the large ceremonial centers, including
Chavín de Huántar. Without the unifying
religious and trade network of the
Chavín in the years following its
abandonment, the Andean region was
once again divided into small
communities that remained independent
of each other.