Political and Social StructureIn reality, very little is known about the Chavin society, although, similar to the Olmecs, their politics seemed to be intertwined with their social classes.
The Chavins were believed to have strong administrative systems, and like the Olmecs the priests in their society seemed to hold a lot of the power. Also like the Olmecs, the priests, elites, and wealthy traders were the leaders of the society. Apart from the elite class, there seemed to be the regular peasant class, and it can be inferred that a lot of labor was needed to build the many sacred temples. Similar to the Olmecs, the closer one lived to the cultural center, the higher status he or she belonged to. This was emphasized by the fact that despite the overall appearance of good economic trade, not everyone benefited. Only those who lived close to the center were able to eat good foods off of ceramic plates. |
Economic StructureTaking place in Chavin de Huantar, like many classical civilizations, the Chavin people relied mainly on agriculture. At the start of the civilization, most people were hunters, farmers, and herders who were well adapted to the mountainous land.
Some time around 500 B.C.E, the economy seemed to have been driven by the temples. There was an Old Temple and New Temple (discussed more under Culture and Innovation). The center of the Chavin society was a busy cultural center where people would go to give gifts and pay tribute to priests and oracles (see More Information for a detailed explanation). The temples themselves created jobs such as artists and administrators for the people. As the cultural center grew, specialization took place. There came stone carvers, potters, bead makers, weavers, and metal workers all of which provided goods that could be traded. Despite the much received wealth, the Chavin did trade and some of their traders traveled to remote parts of Peru to trade goods and ideas. The innovation of the llama improved trade throughout the Andes because of their endurance and strength. |