Peru Peruvian Ancient Civilization
Glossary Terminology
Chavin Culture
Arising in the
Andean highlands of north central Peru around the same timeframe as the Olmecs
in Central America, the Chavin Culture was from 1200 to 200 BCE. The Chavins also revered a jaguar man god. Distinctive
jaguar designs were found on the bone and stone carvings, the metal work, and
the textiles of the Chavin. Their main city and the center of Chavin urban and
ceremonial culture was Chavin de Huantar.
Besides the developed agricultural
systems found at this site, there was also a central building called The
Castillo. The building most likely served as a religious hub for the Chavin
since it was ornamented with intricately designed stone reliefs and sculptures
of birds, animals, and humans. For about 500 years the Chavin dominated Peruvian
culture, and, skillful artisans in their outposts in the northern Peruvian coastal
valleys at Cupisnique, Chongoyape, and Tembladera, produced effigy pots with
elaborate designs.
Chimu Culture
The largest
pre-Columbian city of the Chimu Culture from 100 to 1470 ACE was Chan Chan. The capital of the Chimu,
the city had about ten thousand dwellings of various sizes. About 50,000 people lived at the large site
which was north of Trujillo. Chan Chan had canals, storage bins, temples,
walk-in wells, and workshops.
The functional and organizational orientation of
the Chimu culture resulted in rather lackluster, unoriginal artwork in comparison
to other Peruvian cultures. Chimu pottery consisted mainly of blackware which
was made using simple methods of production. Their metallurgy, however was
highly developed.
Frieze designs were molded into the mud walls of buildings,
and the most important ones were covered with layers of precious metals. Before
the Chimu were conquered by the Incas around 1460 ACE, their influence
stretched along the coast from the Gulf of Guayaquil to Chancay.
Hanan Pacha
The ancient Peruvian and Inca heavenly
Higher World was called Hanan Pacha. After crossing a bridge of woven hairs, only the spirits of the
ethical, honest, honorable, just, moral, righteous, truthful, and virtuous were
able to get into this paradisiacal realm.
Huacas
Pre-Columbian Peruvian South Americans and the Inca called the
Nature Spirits and Elementals Huaca. This apotheosis or deification of the
quintessences of the Natural World was given to fields, lakes, mountains, rocks,
streams, and trees who were perceived as magical hallowed spirits. Besides
connotating Nature Dieties, the term was also applied to places of reverence
like Sacred Springs and Holy Wells. Shamanic Peruvian gods and goddesses who had
animistic shapeshifting abilities were also called Huacas and had the term
incorporated into their names...Continue on
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Peru Peruvian Ancient Civilization Articles
Archaeological Findings Synopsis,
Atlantean Lemurian Connections,
Cultural Timeline and Periods,
Glossary Terminology,
Incas and the Incan Empire,
Lake Titicaca and Machu Picchu,
Peruvian Archangels Deities Goddesses Gods Hierarchs,
Peruvian Spiritual Beliefs,
Peruvian Storytelling about Tiahuanaco,
Pleiadian Benefactors Legends,
Pre-Inca and Inca Cultures
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Shamanism Shaman,
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Peru
Peruvian Ancient Civilization
Copyright © 2002-2008 Maureen Grace Burns, Blessings Cornucopia. All Rights Reserved.
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