Archaeological culture · c. 900–250 BCE (some scholars: from c. 1200 BCE)
Chavín culture
The main culture of Peru's Early Horizon, centred on the temple of Chavín de Huántar in the northern highlands. Its art of fanged gods, jaguars, snakes and birds spread along the coast and highlands, with advances in metalwork and textiles and close ties to the temple's religious cult.
Its centre declined after social upheaval around 500–300 BCE.
See Chavín culture on the map in 900 BCE
- On the map
- 900–250 BCE
How we know
No writing existed; dated by radiocarbon, but scholars disagree on when it began and when its temple was at its height.
Sites
- Chavín de Huántar c. 1200–500 BCE (dates debated)