(Please read from the start)
“The open spaces of plazas versus the small restricted spaces of Chavin galleries in the temple shows that there is a progression of how the ritual spaces and architecture was used, moving more from public to private practice. The gallery spaces are central to understanding the implications of the Chavin ritual practices.
In fact, these underground galleries were more than just a place of ritual. As was recently discovered by a team of archaeologists led by John Rick, through the use of all-terrain robots, these galleries were the final resting place for, presumably, the temple's builders. The men's bodies weren't buried in a very honorable way: they were face-down, covered by rocks. John Rick raised the possibility, yet to be confirmed, that these people could very well have been sacrificed. This discovery shed some light as to where the people of Chavín buried their dead, although there might be other burial sites, as the director for the excavation said that he doesn't believe it was customary to bury them in those galleries, just that it sometimes happened. If it becomes known, through the study of the remains, that they were indeed sacrificed, it could also serve to prove the theory that the galleries were a place of ritual, but for now, we can only know for sure that it was the final resting place for the men who built the temple.”
>> We have a bit of contradictary information here anons.
How can the ones who ruled and build the temples be sacrificed? These should be the elite or at least have great influene in Chaving culture according to what we’ve been reading so far. But then the remains were not closely examined YET. Laying face down doesn’t have to mean they were sacrificed. It can have some type of religious meaning or a meaning point to direction. If this place was used to channel spiritual energy via the Lanzon, then laying face down can hold a very different meaning, according to what we find of course. The Chavin cultre doesn’t give me the impression of being cannibalistic or practicing human sacrifices.
“The sizes of the spaces in the sacred spaces provided different amounts of room for people to congregate. External spaces such as the plazas had the ability to hold more individuals for ritual practices. The Square Plaza could have held 5,200 individuals. The Circular Plaza could have held around 600 individuals. Internal spaces within the temples, for example the galleries or hallways, could have only held a small number. Within the Lanzon gallery in the Old Temple, only around 15 people could have attended a ceremony, and within the canal entries only 2 to 4 people could have witnessed the ceremony.”
>> This is a very good proof of the hierarchie in this culture. It also shows that a very small number of people had the knowledge on how to channel spiritual energy. Anyone just won’t do. There is a specific type of persons whom can do that. If anons, think about it, isn’t this what the bloodline have been doing? The top secrets are kept by only a handful of members of the bloodline families = priviledged among the priviledged.
“Practices and ceremonies
Ritualistic activity for the Chavin isn't necessarily original; it has deep roots connected to activities from other Andean societies and cultures.The rituals in the space might have been indicative of the other diverse practices that took place at that time.
The idea that the Chavin were looking for more followers and more participants in ritual leads scholars to believe that it was entirely possible that they tried to coexist in ritual with Christian churches. […] Ritual practice at this time evolved and showed evidence of both public and private religion, and showed an increased distance between participants and observers in public ceremonies. Participants are termed in the archaeology community as visitors to the site. The transition was not immediate, as ancient practices were highly appealed to frequently as rituals progressed. There is debate as to whether or not the Chavin practices were more hierarchical or heterarchical. It is believed by archeologists that for the Chavin to have the most successful and impactful rituals, they must be more condensed and more private in their nature. But other evidence shows that central areas reflected the lack of hierarchy in ritual practice, and that the society utilized the open spaces to better demonstrate a more inclusive religious experience. This demonstrates that ritual practice might have been heterarchical or hierarchical, and reflects back to the ideas of their inclusivity with other religious institutions, rituals, and traditions. Regardless, it is understood and well accepted that the Chavin were inclusive in their ritual practices.
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