Although the great ceremonial centre of Chavin de Huantar was founded only around 850 BC, the cult of which it represents the climax had developed much earlier. From around 1200 BC, it was mainly found in coastal sites, whereas Chavin de Huantar is situated in the mountains. This shift of location, it has been suggested, may relate to some natural disaster in the coastal region.
The main religious structures of both Chavin de Huantar and earlier sites are laid out in a U-shaped complex, with pyramids and other mounds, and are often decorated with sculptured stones depicting religious themes.
The chief Chavin deity is depicted as a snarling creature with long fangs, claws and snakes for hair. Frequently he holds two shells, a Spondylus and a Strombus. These shells continued throughout Peruvian prehistory to have a ritual significance and the latter was blown as a trumpet in religious ceremonies.
It has been suggested that a shell trumpet blown in the chamber above the Lanzon at Chavin de Huantar was the voice of the oracle consulted here. The same deity is also shown grasping two staffs; this is how he appears also in later religious art, among the Moche and at Tiwanaku, for example.
