Chavin

(village)

The Chavin de Huantar center is located in the high valley of Mosna (3,150 meters above sea level), halfway between the coast and the jungle, and separated from each of these by two high cordilleras; today, Chavin de Huantar is a town hidden in a small valley at 3,177 meters above sea level, at the eastern foot of the "White Cordillera". The town is partially built over the archaeological site, which cover some 40 hectares. The remains are of an important ceremonial center dating from the first millennium BC that remained famous until de 16th and 17th centuries. In the twenties, the eminent Peruvian archaeologist Julio C. Tello recognized their vital importance for the early history of Peru and the Americas, making them a keystone of his vision of the origin of early culture in Peru.