﻿Vol. 
  2] 
  

  

  ARCHEOLOGY 
  OF 
  CENTRAL 
  ANDES 
  — 
  BENNETT 
  

  

  83 
  

  

  wise, 
  the 
  site 
  is 
  not 
  a 
  fortress 
  since 
  none 
  of 
  the 
  buildings 
  is 
  constructed 
  

   for 
  defense. 
  Instead, 
  as 
  many 
  archeologists 
  have 
  suggested, 
  Chavin 
  

   was 
  probably 
  a 
  religious 
  center. 
  The 
  main 
  buildings 
  are 
  laid 
  out 
  in 
  

   accordance 
  with 
  a 
  roughly 
  conceived 
  plan. 
  The 
  central 
  sunken 
  plaza 
  

   has 
  large 
  platforms 
  along 
  its 
  north 
  and 
  south 
  sides, 
  and 
  is 
  backed 
  on 
  

   the 
  west 
  by 
  a 
  raised 
  terrace 
  and 
  the 
  Castillo. 
  The 
  other 
  mounds 
  and 
  

   units 
  do 
  not, 
  however, 
  fit 
  into 
  this 
  symmetrical 
  arrangement. 
  

  

  Figure 
  1. 
  — 
  A 
  feline 
  with 
  curled 
  tail, 
  Chavm 
  style. 
  Taken 
  from 
  a 
  cornice 
  slab 
  

   at 
  the 
  southwest 
  corner 
  of 
  the 
  Castillo 
  at 
  Chavin 
  de 
  Hu^ntar. 
  Champleve* 
  

   and 
  incised 
  technique. 
  (Traced 
  in 
  reverse.) 
  (Redrawn 
  from 
  Bennett, 
  1942, 
  

   fig. 
  1.) 
  

  

  The 
  characteristic 
  features 
  of 
  Chavin 
  architecture 
  and 
  masonry 
  can 
  

   be 
  summarized 
  in 
  a 
  few 
  points. 
  (1) 
  The 
  buildings 
  are 
  essentially 
  of 
  

   the 
  platform 
  type. 
  The 
  effect 
  of 
  mass 
  is 
  presented 
  by 
  the 
  unbroken 
  

   walls 
  and 
  the 
  absence 
  of 
  the 
  exterior 
  windows 
  and 
  doorways. 
  

   (2) 
  The 
  masonry 
  technique 
  is 
  one 
  of 
  alternating 
  thick 
  and 
  thin 
  hori- 
  

   zontal 
  rows 
  of 
  stone. 
  Some 
  outer 
  walls 
  are 
  of 
  dressed 
  stone 
  and 
  the 
  

   inner 
  walls 
  are 
  of 
  split 
  stone, 
  but 
  both 
  are 
  built 
  in 
  the 
  same 
  horizontal- 
  

   row 
  technique. 
  The 
  dressed 
  stones 
  are 
  well 
  squared 
  and 
  smoothed 
  

   but 
  are 
  not 
  notched 
  or 
  jointed 
  for 
  fitting. 
  Some 
  foundation 
  stones 
  and 
  

   the 
  covering 
  slabs 
  for 
  the 
  galleries 
  are 
  large, 
  but 
  the 
  greater 
  part 
  of 
  

   the 
  building 
  is 
  with 
  smaller 
  stone. 
  Both 
  sandstone 
  and 
  basalt 
  are 
  

   employed. 
  (3) 
  Interior 
  galleries 
  and 
  rooms 
  are 
  typical 
  of 
  Chavin. 
  

   The 
  galleries 
  are 
  usually 
  over 
  3 
  feet 
  (1 
  m.) 
  wide 
  and 
  about 
  6 
  feet 
  

   (1.8 
  m.) 
  high. 
  The 
  small 
  rooms 
  measure 
  7 
  feet 
  (2 
  m.) 
  in 
  width 
  and 
  

   from 
  7 
  to 
  14 
  feet 
  (2 
  to 
  4 
  m.) 
  in 
  length. 
  The 
  air 
  vents 
  are 
  16 
  by 
  18 
  

   inches 
  (40 
  by 
  45 
  cm.). 
  The 
  galleries, 
  rooms, 
  and 
  vents 
  are 
  laid 
  out 
  

   in 
  a 
  more 
  or 
  less 
  symmetrical 
  pattern. 
  (4) 
  Interior 
  and 
  exterior 
  

   stairways 
  are 
  common. 
  One 
  set 
  of 
  monolithic 
  steps 
  is 
  associated. 
  

  

  