M S Smith Posted January 13, 2008 The famous rock carving resides in the "Circular Plaza" of the archeological site of Chavín de Huantar in Huaraz, Peru. It is the square block on the far right under the covering. ~Michael~ 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rahli Posted January 13, 2008 Thanks for the Photos. What an amazing site. I recognise the panel from pages 9 (pencil drawing) and 109 in Trout's Notes on San Pedro & related Trichocereus species. Now I can put it into a broader site context. Thanks again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Teotzlcoatl Posted January 13, 2008 That's awesome! I have a question for you Mr.Smith. 3 actually... 1) How did the ancients at Chavin prepare their San Pedro? Boiling it fresh? 2) Are there any patchs of San Pedro near Chavin which are believed to have been used by the people at that site in rituals? 3) Did they only use T. pachanoi? Or did they use other species? What did the cactus they used look like? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M S Smith Posted January 13, 2008 Due to the nature of evolution the plants they used could appear to be quite different than those in Huaraz today, but here are a few from the area of Chavín de Huantar. I don't think anyone knows about how the Chavin culture prepared their plants for consumption, but I see no reason why even then they wouldn't have known that boiling is of the greatest ease. ~Michael~ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Teotzlcoatl Posted January 13, 2008 Boiling is the method used by most South American shamans today, correct? None of them peel it and dry it do they? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M S Smith Posted January 14, 2008 (edited) .... Edited January 14, 2008 by M S Smith Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Micromegas Posted January 14, 2008 (edited) Hi Teotz, the last five photos in this thread http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/inde...showtopic=16482 are Pachanoi plants growing in the temple compound at Chavin... For me personally the famous 'Cactus God' carving is in fact not a god at all but the San Pedro shamans who lived at Chavin, as they perceived themselves, a human/animal supernatural being. There used to be a female carving of the same figure on the other side of the stairs, differentiated by the fact she wore feathers in her hair, thus demonstrating that women, as well as men, played an important shamanic role in the Chavin culture as curanderas. The carvings in the circular plaza lead to a set of stairs going inside the temple itself (see photo), where the paramount Chavin deity is located, a fifteen foot colossus called the Lanzon... Regarding brews I believe there were some contemporary shamans using dried material mixed in water. I heard of this done in Bolivia with Bridgessii with good results, about one big spoonful. At the markets in Chiclayo you can buy powered SP or dried chips... litterally, huge bags of the stuff... or whole pieces of cactus, about $3 for a foot... generally this is boiled to produce a brew of varying potency depending on the material and especially on the shaman... Micro Edited January 14, 2008 by Micromegas Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
recondite Posted January 14, 2008 I stole this from you Michael, I think. I can't have an attachment for some reason but here is the link if it works. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M S Smith Posted January 14, 2008 Don't worry, I stole it from someone else first. ~Michael~ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gunter Posted January 16, 2008 Looks like a form of the andean staff god to me... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trucha Posted January 23, 2008 (edited) The chronicler's of the invasion described the plants most often used by the inhabitants as being smooth (which agrees nicely with the carving) This is perhaps noteworthy as spiny cacti in use were also mentioned by them and are also commonly and very clearly depicted in the art - sometimes in supernatural context. This panel is only one of a number of panels that used to line the court. Carlos Ostolaza believes that crested pachanoi and peruvianus were used and recognized seperately from pachanoi. As far as I can determine, there seems to be nothing shamanic ongoing in Bolivia that is not of modern creation so far as what involves cactus use. LOTS of that is ongoing now. Much of it caters to the psychedelic oriented tourists (true also in Peru and in Ecuador) but there is certainly an ongoing shamanic cactus-based healing culture that is active. This was imported from Peru or elsewhere though not arising from intact Bolivian traditions - even Muguel Kavlin (who was born in Bolivia) got his training/background for creating his Long Dance and incorporating locally derived cactus (bridgesii) for use from a synthesis of what he learned from a San Pedro using shaman in Peru, an ayahuascero (also in Peru) and the Paiute medicine man Joseph Rael (Beautiful Painted Arrow) here in the USA. Edited January 23, 2008 by trucha Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
