CHAVÍN DE HUÁNTAR by Jonathan Wiedemann

Fair Use Statement:

JonathanWiedemann — 2015-12-04 06:47:08 UTC

This is a project for a class at Cascadia Community College. This is for educational purposes only, and would apply under the fair use act as "Educational multimedia projects".

http://www.adec.edu/admin/papers/fair10-17.html

Pablo Picasso:

JonathanWiedemann — 2015-12-04 07:35:53 UTC

“Of all of the ancient cultures I admire that of Chavín amazes me the most. Actually, it has been the inspiration behind most of my art.”

History

JonathanWiedemann — 2015-12-04 07:41:57 UTC

The Chavin culture participated in the construction of large cities that acted as unifying elements of small communities. These cities were ceremonial centers , offices of political power, fulfilled economic functions and served as important centers of pilgrimage for religious ceremonies. The most famous and historically significant being Chavin de Huantar.Chavin de Huantar was originally built by the Chavin civilization at about 900 BC - 300 BC.

The term "Chavin" in "Chavin de Hauntar" refers to the intricate art style present at this site, which eventually spread throughout much of central and northern Peru and was once considered one of the earliest large-scale ceremonial centers of the central Andes.

"Chavin de Huantar is an impressive and uniquely ornate Andean monument situated high in the northern sierra between two streams that feed into the distant Amazon" (Scarre 2014: 651-654).

Image URL: http://www.crystalinks.com/chavinde_hauntar.html

The City

JonathanWiedemann — 2015-12-04 08:09:58 UTC

The site has two main structures , the old temple and the new temple. The old temple was a U-shaped structure facing the inside with a central courtyard . The court consisted of obelisks and stone monuments adorned with art depicting jaguars, alligators , hawks and various anthropomorphic forms . The interior of the temple contained a maze of corridors , rooms and water pipes. Religious buildings take the form of a U. The term "Chavin" in "Chavin de Hauntar" refers to the intricate art style present at this site, which eventually spread throughout much of central and northern Peru and was once considered one of the earliest large-scale ceremonial centers of the central Andes

The new temple, built between 500 and 200 BC , also contains many sculptures and more massive . A staircase leads to a landing with a narrow courtyard. Hidden passages and platforms allow priests to miraculously appear above their assistance.

Image URL: http://popular-archaeology.com/issue/december-2011/article/magic-sounds-of-peru-s-ancient-chavin-de-huantar

"An oasis in the Andean highlands, Chavín de Huántar was the social, religious, and political center of the Chavín people for over 1000 years"(Global Heritage Fund, 2015).

JonathanWiedemann — 2015-12-04 09:11:40 UTC

Why is this important to you?

JonathanWiedemann — 2015-12-04 09:31:05 UTC

"As noted in State of Conservation Reports in 1998 and 1999, UNESCO and ICOMOS reported that Chavín was in a very fragile state and that urgent interventions were needed. With its unique mountain setting, traditional cultural context, and separation from encroaching development, Chavín is ideally situated for long-term preservation"(UNESCO, 2015).

What can I do to help?

JonathanWiedemann — 2015-12-04 09:32:03 UTC

"Chavin Archaeological Site is properly protected by national law: the National Constitution (Art 36), Law Nº 6634 of June 13, 1929 that expressly stipulates the inalienable and indefeasible right of the Nation on all existing monuments prior to the Vice royalty in the country and declares the Chavín Archaeological Site as a National Monument" (Global Heritage Fund, 2015).

Community Development:

"To ensure Global Heritage Fund’s efforts benefit the local community as well as the site, we are funding post-excavation conservation and a local conservation lab with an emphasis on stone and ceramic artifacts. Global Heritage Fund hopes to expand our current conservation funding for the next four years for site conservation and restoration, enabling Peruvian conservation teams to become self-sufficient and capable of unsupervised conservation. Not only will this funding provide year-round employment to locals, but it will also open the doors for Chavín artifacts, currently distributed across Peru, to return to the newly opened local museum"(UNESCO, 2015).

In less than 15 years, Global Heritage Fund has empowered communities and saved heritage in over 20 countries. Imagine how much more we can do when we work together.

If you would like to donate please follow this link!

http://globalheritagefund.org/index.php/what-we-do/projects-and-programs/chavin-de-huantar-peru/

Tourism:

Tourism is another way one can contribute, not only does it strength the local community but you get to go visit the ancient archaeological site of your dreams.

WORKS CITED:

JonathanWiedemann — 2015-12-04 09:32:42 UTC

BENNETT, WC. Position of Chavin in Andean sequences. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society. 86, 2, 323-327, Jan. 1943. ISSN: 0003049X.

Global Heritage Fund. "Chavin de Huantar." Global Heritage Fund. Accessed 2015. http://globalheritagefund.org/index.php/what-we-do/projects-and-programs/chavin-de-huantar-peru/#accomplishments

Scarre, Christopher. The Human Past: World Prehistory & the Development of Human Societies. 3rd ed. London: Thames & Hudson, 2005.

UNESCO. "Chavin (Archaeological Site)." United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Accessed 2015. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/330/

The Threats

JonathanWiedemann — 2015-12-04 09:34:34 UTC

"Over 2,000 years after its inhabitants disappeared and the jungle swallowed up the site, Chavín de Huántar was found in a state of disrepair. Primarily damaged by hundreds of years of neglect, it faces profound challenges from environmental threats, structural damage and instability, inadequate site maintenance, and endemic poverty in the surrounding community" (Scarre, 2014: 651-654). The site's galleries, stone-lined underground passages, are in danger of collapsing due to water penetration.

NATURAL DISASTERS:

The most relevant factor affecting the preservation of the integrity of the Chavin de Huantar are environmental agents, which have deteriorated its structures through time, including some landslides in the galleries, drains and internal vents.

-1945: Huge landslides obscure temples that had previously been unearthed and excavated.
-1970: An earthquake wreaks havoc in the modern area and causes further archaelogical damage to the Chavin de Huantar

The Lanzon

JonathanWiedemann — 2015-12-04 10:25:12 UTC

"The Lanzon is housed in the central cruciform chamber of a labyrinthine series of underground passages in the Old Temple of the ceremonial and religious center of Chavin de Huantar" (UNESCO, 2015).

Image URL: http://www.crystalinks.com/chavinde_hauntar.html

JonathanWiedemann — 2015-12-04 11:20:34 UTC

Back-ground Image URL: https://hiddenincatours.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/chavin-de-huantar-temple.jpg