Cactus God of Chavin de Huantar, Peru

[M S Smith]

I've found a few pictures of the cactus god at Chavin de Huantar over the years, but none as clear as this one. Just thought I would share it.

~Michael~

[FancyPants]

What do the snakes represent? Which culture also? Been a long time since I read anything about it all. I should UTFSE...

Where did that particular image come from, Michael? Temple, altar?

[M S Smith]

I'm not sure what it all means but the carving comes from the Circular Plaza at Chavin de Huantar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chav%C3%ADn_de_Huantar). Some of the other panels are in the sites museum...not sure why this one isn't.

~Michael~

Edited January 19, 2015 by M S Smith

[FancyPants]

http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/ANTH/emeritus/rowe/pub/chavin/

Some interesting info, though I see no mention of cactus unfortunately. It is implied from this text that snakes generally are believed to represent hair, eyebrows etc, although I'm not so sure (because I'm a great archaeological professor you know?). Considering it's said that not many other typical animals are shown in carvings, why would snakes just be used to image hair? Also, why the snakes in a belt-like fashion in the first image? What is the upside down "face" in that first image? Is it the same jaguar-type face, or humanoid? Why there? Is it peeling off the ego for the san pedro induced journey through the maze to the Lanzon? Are the snakes good luck? Antennae for transpersonal journeys? Perhaps grounding safety measures for the spiritual journey ahead? Were the jaguar-headed figures (as they apparently were more often portrayed in carving) Shamans only? If so, does that imply an imbalance of power that seems inevitable when religions have a good long while incubate and settle in an area (e.g. the original christian priests/shamans were likely genuinely tried to do "good", while later in time becoming corrupted with greed and power). Was this what caused the culture to die out? Perhaps as non-shamans took of the cactus they too saw God and wondered why only some should be imbued with so much power and enlightenment (sound familiar?)

[M S Smith]

As for upside down face, well there is another facing forward behind the snake hair. One would be looking up and the other down, possibly a reference to the viewing of the heavens and the underworld? Maybe the creature serves as an intermediary figure between the gods of these two worlds, a status that comes about through the traditional shamanic use of T. pachanoi. I haven't put a great deal of thought into the matter, but maybe the article will help once I read it in full.

Here's another photo, this one with the lines being a bit clearer.

And for the snake hair, well...

These are plants on a cliff-side, grown in rock or poor soil, and in a dry region, which would in my estimation account for the decumbent growth. The Chavin Empire did cover this region of Lima, Peru, this even though Chavin de Huantar is further north and on the east side of the Andes.

~Michael~

ps- these photos aren't in the torrent.

Edited January 21, 2015 by M S Smith

[Dreamwalker.]

those san p look awesome growing like that...wish I had a big rock face in my garden.......