Ancient site · Temple
Chavín de Huántar
A temple complex at 3,180 metres in the Andes of north-central Peru, where two rivers meet. Its stone platforms hide narrow galleries; at the very centre stands the Lanzón, a tall carved stone thought to show the temple's supreme god.
Reliefs show jaguars, caimans and other creatures with human features. Placed between the coast and the Amazon, it drew pilgrims and traders, and its art style spread across much of Peru. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Dates
- c. 1200–500 BCE (dates debated)
- Still standing
- Yes
- UNESCO World Heritage
- Yes
- Location
- 9.59° S, 77.18° W
How we know
No writing existed; the temple is dated by radiocarbon, though experts still argue over exactly when its main phases began and ended.
Nearby sites
- Sechín Bajo c. 3500–1300 BCE
- Caral (Sacred City of Caral-Supe) c. 2600–2000 BCE
- Huacas del Sol y de la Luna c. 100–800 CE
- Huaca Prieta c. 12,500–2000 BCE
- Sipán (Huaca Rajada) c. 50–700 CE
- Paracas cemeteries (Cerro Colorado) c. 800–100 BCE
Related
- Chavín culture archaeological culture
- The world in 1500 BCE: Chariots and Empires chapter