Chavin Invention and Arts
Below is a sculpture of a jaguar's head. Jaguars were emblems of power in both Olmec and Chavin societies.
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The Chavín had a prominent artistic style that was distinct enough to be adopted and integrated into the cultures they traded with. Especially present in their stone sculptures, Chavín sculptors and artists incorporated messages into their creations through a complex collection of traditional and recognizable icons and symbols that represented the diverse religious concepts of different religions by mixing and matching them with each other in different patterns. Such details were lost on all but those who understood the symbol language themselves.
Aside from stonecarving, the Chavín utilized masterful technique in the manipulation of metal, textiles, and ceramics, and incorporated their style into all such media. Stonecarving prevailed in large and small constructions alike as the most noteworthy aspect of their art, however. Two magnificent temples of note were the Old and New Temple. The Old was designed similar to many other structures of its Pre-Ceramic time with a horseshoe structure. Vicious-looking heads of human-animal hybrids snarled down at those who approached, and no apertures were apparent in the hewn stone. Within, complex network of passageways and ventilation ducts ran through the entirety of the building, and beneath it laid more intricate mazes of aqueducts maintained by floodgates to local rivers. Stone carvings and figures of various religious figures decorated the interior. The Tello Obelisk and the Raimondi Stone were two relics depicting two deities of the mysterious Chavín religion, and were found in the Old Temple before being removed for study. At the center, the Lanzón (a towering pillar extending up into and past the ceiling of the temple) was regarded as the centerpiece of the temple, with art of what was presumably their main deity etched into it.
Chavin metallurgy was extremely powerful, and by this time, usage of metal as solder was widely used. Gold metallurgy was prominent, as well. Nevertheless, the Chavin field of medical science was like Olmec science in that they both used blood letting to cure unknown disease.
When Chavín de Huántar expanded with time, so too did the Old Temple. The southern portion was renovated as the New Temple, sharing the structure of the original and constructed over several generations. Overall, though there were few lingering technological advances, the intelligent design of the Temple (secret pathways, ventilation ducts designed to magnify voices, floodgates that roared like a mythical jaguar when released, etc.) suggests strong architectural expertise.
Aside from stonecarving, the Chavín utilized masterful technique in the manipulation of metal, textiles, and ceramics, and incorporated their style into all such media. Stonecarving prevailed in large and small constructions alike as the most noteworthy aspect of their art, however. Two magnificent temples of note were the Old and New Temple. The Old was designed similar to many other structures of its Pre-Ceramic time with a horseshoe structure. Vicious-looking heads of human-animal hybrids snarled down at those who approached, and no apertures were apparent in the hewn stone. Within, complex network of passageways and ventilation ducts ran through the entirety of the building, and beneath it laid more intricate mazes of aqueducts maintained by floodgates to local rivers. Stone carvings and figures of various religious figures decorated the interior. The Tello Obelisk and the Raimondi Stone were two relics depicting two deities of the mysterious Chavín religion, and were found in the Old Temple before being removed for study. At the center, the Lanzón (a towering pillar extending up into and past the ceiling of the temple) was regarded as the centerpiece of the temple, with art of what was presumably their main deity etched into it.
Chavin metallurgy was extremely powerful, and by this time, usage of metal as solder was widely used. Gold metallurgy was prominent, as well. Nevertheless, the Chavin field of medical science was like Olmec science in that they both used blood letting to cure unknown disease.
When Chavín de Huántar expanded with time, so too did the Old Temple. The southern portion was renovated as the New Temple, sharing the structure of the original and constructed over several generations. Overall, though there were few lingering technological advances, the intelligent design of the Temple (secret pathways, ventilation ducts designed to magnify voices, floodgates that roared like a mythical jaguar when released, etc.) suggests strong architectural expertise.