Lanzón, Religious stone sculpture in Chavin de Huantar, Peru
The Lanzón is a granite sculpture about 5 meters (15 feet) tall in the underground temple building at Chavín de Huantar, Peru. The figure carved in stone shows a being with large eyes, wide nose, and protruding teeth, surrounded by geometric lines and coiling patterns.
Stonemasons created the monument around 500 BCE as a central figure for religious activities in the region. The importance of the temple grew over several centuries as communities from across the highlands made pilgrimages to the site.
The name comes from the Spanish word for large lance and describes the narrow vertical form of the monument rising between the tight gallery walls. Visitors today see snake hair and fangs across the surface that made the being central to ancient ceremonies.
The monument stands in a dark underground passage below the older temple section, and visitors need a flashlight or must wait for guided tours with artificial lighting. The chamber is low and narrow, so expect slippery floors and tight passages.
Small openings in the temple roof let light fall on the tip of the monument and created dramatic shadows in the chamber during certain times of day. Air ducts in the walls carried sounds from outside into the room, allowing priests to speak from distant points.
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