Chavin De Haunter

Like many of the interesting places in Peru, the journey to get there is worth the trip alone. Chavin De Haunter (more on this later) is a day trip from the town I am based in currently, Hauraz. In terms of distance it is not far - just over 100 Km away - but the route, over a very potholed tarred road, over the Cordillera Blanca range in the Andes mountains is long, tiring and yet spectacular.


Chavin De Haunter is the grand-daddy of all ruins in South America, and is, as far as I know, the only remains of the Chavin civilisation - the first recorded civilisation in the Americas. Chavin De Haunter is a massive temple ruins, first built around 900 BC and was used by subsequent Andean civilisations including the Hauris, who were later conquered by the Incas, who were then wiped out by the Spanish conquistadors.


The Inca's could not have built Machu Picchu and their other fine masonry out of nowhere - and Chavin De Haunter shows that the style of building is old, and has been developed over 2000 years. What is fascinating however is that, despite the long history of civilisation, written language did not evolve. For this reason, the full intent and story behind Chavin De Haunter is not known, and much of the explanations is good guesswork rather than well known facts.


The Chavin culture seems to be the root of the Andean religious practices that continued into the Inca times, and probably still exist in some form. The concept of duality: male and female, ying and yang, black and white, is present in the temple. As is the concept of the three worlds, ruled by the three animals: puma, serpent and falcon (in the Inca times, the falcon was replaced by the condor). The latter is particularly significant: many of the sculptures and carvings on the temple depict a god with the form of a human, but the face of a puma, the hair of snakes and hands and feet of the falcon.



Most famous artifact from the temples are the stone heads: depicting yet again a human like face with either characteristics of a puma or a falcon. The heads were once all around the main temple complex, but currently only one remains in its original location, but many more can be seen at the attached exhibition centre.

Architecturally, two things really stand out. Firstly, the structure has remained standing in a country known for its earthquakes. Like the subsequent Inca buildings 2000 years later, the Chauvins knew how to make their buildings last. Secondly, the drainage system which carried water from both the rain and acted as an underground canal between the two rivers that flow past the temple.

Sadly, in what the guide described as an avalanche, but more like a mudslide, in the 1950's most of the temple complex was buried and has remained buried. I think there is great potential in the site, especially considering its age and its historical significance, and I think efforts should be made to rebuild and restore the temple.

Lastly, a final comment. What I find most surprising and in many respects, depressing is the fact that, buildings after the demise of the Incas are so fragile. After more than 2000 years of building structures that can withstand centuries of earthquakes, why are structures not built using interlocking stones/bricks complete with a slight tilting angle such that the buildings do not cave in? After all, especially in countries with high earthquake incidents, surely prevention of the destruction of buildings is better than rebuilding? I am reminded of the destruction in Pisco and wonder if it would look different if the buildings were built how the pre-Columbian civilisations build their structures.