Estela de Raimondi: Characteristics, Discovery, Symbolism

The wake of Raimondi is a monolith that was made by the chavín culture , a prehistoric civilization that developed between 1500 a.C. and 300 a.C. in the Peruvian Andes. It is believed that the Raimondi stele was considered a sacred object for this town. It is also a very valuable object for modern scholars, as it is an important example of that art.

The Chavín culture owes its name to the archaeological site of Chavín de Huántar. This is located in Huari, a province in the Peruvian department of Ancash. It is believed that the site served as a ceremonial and religious place for the Andean world.

This is evidenced in the temples that were discovered in Chavín de Huántar, as well as in the artifacts that were discovered there. Precisely, one of the objects that witnesses the religious role of Chavín de Huántar is Raimondi's wake.

On the other hand, this monolith owes its name to Antonio Raimondi, who helped by a peasant, discovered this relic. This Italian naturalist and geographer was one of the great promoters of the development of the natural sciences in the Peruvian territory. He arrived in Peru in 1850, and for nineteen years he systematically observed rocks, plants, animals and climatic records.

Main characteristics of Raimondi stela

The wake of Raimondi represents a cult figure called God of the Staffs . This representation appears in several versions from Colombia until the north of Bolivia, but always has a staff. In few occasions, however, the representations have the degree of elaboration found in Chavín.

In this sense, Raimondi's stele looks up, frowns and discovers his fangs. It also has an elaborate feathered headdress that dominates the upper third of the monolith. Turning the image shows that the headdress is composed of a series of faces without jaws. Each of these emerge from the mouth of the face that is above.

On the other hand, in this figure the serpents that extend from the belt of the deity abound. These make up parts of the staff. In addition, they serve as whiskers and hair of the deity and the creatures of the headdress. In turn, the snakes form a braid at the end of the composition. In general, it is an anthropomorphic being with feline features. His arms are extended, and his hands are claws with which they hold the staffs.

As for its dimensions, it measures 1.98 cm high, 74 cm wide and 17 cm thick. This stone sculpture is a granite slab with a rectangular shape. In comparison with previous reliefs, it is more elaborate and complex. The first reliefs are characterized by simple frontal or profile silhouettes of men, jaguars and condors with modest geometric decorations.

The wake Raimondi illustrates the Andean artistic trend towards multiplicity and dual readings. On the contrary, the face of the god becomes not one, but two faces. The ability of the gods to transform themselves before the eyes of the spectator is a central aspect of the Andean religion.

Discovery

In 1860, Antonio Raimondi was investigating the archaeological site that is now known as Chavín de Huantar. There he was approached by a peasant named Timoteo Espinoza, a native of the place.

This farmer spoke the Quechua language . By that time, the Italian explorer was speaking fluently, so he had no problem understanding it. Espinoza knew that Raimondi was in search of old objects, and took him to his house to see a large stone slab used as a dining table

In this way, almost fortuitous, one of the most important discoveries in the history of archeology occurs. It was a very ancient stele, fine and intricately carved. Timoteo Espinoza had discovered it twenty years ago when he was moving the earth in a field very close to the Temple of Chavín de Huántar.

Despite its obvious importance, this relic remained in oblivion for thirteen years. In 1873, the Italian took her to Lima for study and conservation. However, in 1881, this monolith was hit by Chilean soldiers and fell on the ground.

The stone was still wrapped in a heavy blanket, but it broke into two pieces. This happened during the Pacific War , when Chilean soldiers perpetrated a looting of the History Museum.

After the death of Raimondi in 1890, this stone sculpture was put to good protection. Some options were handled: sell it abroad or move it to other national museums. In 1940, during an earthquake, it fell down the stairs of the Archeology Museum and parts of the frame were broken. After its repair, it was exhibited in the Museum of Anthropology and Archeology of Lima.

Today, the National Museum of Archeology, Anthropology and History of Peru is responsible for its conservation.

Symbolism

Some experts believe that Raimondi's stele represents the culminating expression of duality. This monument allows two radically different views if placed head first. The terrestrial and celestial deities appear depending on the position.

On the one hand, the god seems to look apprehensively upwards. The figure shows two vertical staffs. These include vegetation, so it is believed to be strongly associated with agriculture and fertility.

Now, if it is reversed, it is seen that the god is looking with lasciviousness. You can also see the staffs that fall from the heavens. These could represent the deity of the ray.

In this case, the imposing headdress and staffs are flooded with animal faces as if it were a strange group of supernatural elements. Among others, you can see two jaguar heads just above the elbows of the deity.

References

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5. il Pensatore (2014, August 14). The Raimondi Stela. An Oopart in ancient pre-Columbian Peru. Retrieved on January 25, 2018, from es.scribd.com.
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