Overview
The Lanzón is a blade-shaped stone shaft over four meters tall, set at the crossing of narrow underground galleries within the temple. Worshippers met it in near-darkness at the heart of the sacred complex.
Description
It is carved in low relief with a standing anthropomorphic being with a fanged, snarling mouth, clawed hands, and hair rendered as snakes. The imagery blends human, feline, and serpent features typical of Chavín art.
History and legacy
The Lanzón is the central cult image of Chavín de Huántar, whose religion spread across much of Peru in the Early Horizon. It remains in place today and is a masterpiece of early Andean sculpture.