Chavín de Huántar or Chavín Culture is an archaeological culture of Ancient Peru that developed during the Early Horizon (1200 BC-200 BC) It had its development center in the city of Chavín de Huántar, which is located 2 km from the confluence of the Huachecsa and Mosna rivers, in the upper basin of the Marañón River (in the current department of Áncash).
Traditionally, the historical development of Chavín is considered as a "cultural horizon" due to its artistic and religious influences present in other contemporary cultures. Much of that historical development corresponds to the Formative Period specifically to the Middle Formative and the Higher Formative, which has as its characteristics the intensification of the religious cult, the appearance of the ceramics closely related to the ceremonial centers, the intensification of the cultivation of corn and potatoes, the improvement of agricultural techniques and the development of metallurgy and textiles.
