Module 12 Americas
This Lanzón is currently in the temple of Chavín de Huánta. It was created to represent the god for whom the temple was constructed. Seen in the photo above is a 15-foot-tall grooved wedge-shaped stone etched with the likeness of a supernatural creature and placed deep within the Old Temple, connecting many galleries. Lanzón means "big spear" in Spanish, referring to the form of the stone. A better analogy would be “shape of the digging stick used in traditional highland agriculture”. The Lanzón’s shape implies that the deity's power was strong enough to ensure optimal planting and harvesting. The Lanzón depicts a figure composed of both man and animal. This figure has a very large mouth and eyes. You can also clearly make out the figures jutting fangs. Both of the figures' hands have long sharp fingernails. The right hand of the figure is lifted skyward, covering the heavens and the earth while the left hand rests toward the ground. The incorporation of the talon-like fingernails and intimidating fangs might be to represent an apex predator such as a jaguar or a caiman. The figure's brows and hair have been portrayed as snakes, allowing them to be perceived as both body characteristics and animals. The animal heads that embellish the bottom of the figure's tunic add to the visual complexity. The complexity of Chavín art deliberately creates a barrier to separate believers from people outside of the cult.
The creative style displayed in stone sculpture and architectural embellishment at the Chavin de Huántar temple site in Peru's Andean highlands is purposefully intricate, perplexing, and esoteric. It depicts not just the spiritual ideas of the religious cult at Chavn, but also the practice of keeping others "out" while allowing followers "in." The artwork could only be deciphered by people with a spiritual knowledge.
Dr. Sarahh Scher, "Chavín de Huántar," in Smarthistory, August 9, 2015, accessed November 11, 2021
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