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Raimondi Stela

Raimondi Stela is a paralelepiped stone monolith from the Chavín culture of pre-Inca Peru. Carved on one face in relief, it shows a front-facing anthropomorphic, feline-like deity holding staffs or scepters in both hands, with clawed hands and feet. Made of granite, it measures 1.98 meters high, 74 centimeters wide, and 17 centimeters thick. It was discovered around 1840 at Chavín de Huántar by Timoteo Espinoza and later named after the Italian naturalist and geographer Antonio Raimondi, who promoted its transfer to Lima in 1874 for study and preservation. It is now kept in the courtyard of the National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History of Peru in Lima.

Raimondi Stela with a tall carved panel showing a central anthropomorphic figure and radiating stylized forms.
The Raimondi Stela, a tall carved stone panel with a complex symmetrical anthropomorphic design.
1912 © Sir Clements Robert Markham · Public domain
Raimondi Stela with a stylized anthropomorphic figure and radiating serpent-like forms.
The Raimondi Stela shows a highly stylized deity figure with intricate symmetrical patterns and serpent-like appendages.
1875 © Original drawing by Antonio Raimondi (1824-1890) · Public domain
Detail of the Raimondi Stela showing a stylized anthropomorphic figure with an ornate headdress and patterned staffs.
Detail of the Raimondi Stela, showing the highly stylized central figure carved into the stone.
June 2024 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Close-up of the Raimondi Stela showing a stylized face with swirling symmetrical carved patterns.
A close-up of the Raimondi Stela, featuring a stylized face surrounded by intricate carved motifs.
© · Public domain
Detailed carving on the Raimondi Stela showing a stylized face with swirling geometric patterns.
Close-up of the Raimondi Stela, with a stylized face and intricate carved motifs in stone.
· Public domain

Identification

TitleRaimondi Stela
TypeStele; monolith; stone sculpture
Alternative namesStele of Raimondi; Piedra de Chavín (initial name); Estela Raimondi; Raimondi-Stele; Stela Raimondiego

Historical context

CultureChavín culture
PeriodLate Chavín, Black-White Phase, Early Horizon period of Andean cultures, approximately 900–550 BC
RegionChavín de Huántar, Huari province, central Andes, present-day Peru

Creator

Name originNamed after Antonio Raimondi

Discovery and provenance

First modern recordJosé Toribio Polo wrote about it in 1871
Transfer to LimaMoved to Lima in 1873/1874 on government order and Raimondi's recommendation; transport carried out by Sargento mayor Manuel Marticorena
Raimondi's recommendationHe recommended moving it to Lima for conservation and study
Raimondi's observationAntonio Raimondi saw it in a private house in Chavín de Huántar around 1860 and made a paper copy
Original findspotNot found in situ
Early post-discovery useTaken to Timoteo Espinoza's house and used as a table, with the carved side facing down
Discovery locationA field near the temple/castle in Chavín de Huántar
DiscovererTimoteo Espinoza, a local farmer/resident of Chavín
Discovery dateAround 1840

History and restoration

Public display in LimaFirst displayed at the Palace of the Exhibition (old Exhibition Park)
Preservation in 1881Saved from looting during the Chilean occupation of Lima because it had fallen to the ground showing only its plain reverse side, which looters mistook for a simple stone slab
Damage in 1940An earthquake caused it to fall to the ground and break/crack at one end
Repatriation discussionIn September 2021, the Peruvian Ministry of Culture said it would study returning the stela to Chavín de Huántar

Physical characteristics

ShapeParallelepiped-shaped cuboid stone slab
DimensionsAbout 1.95–1.98 m high, 73–76 cm wide, 15–17 cm thick

Materials

MaterialGranite, polished/finely worked

Technique

Carving techniqueLow-relief line carving with contour contrast; lightly incised, thin sloping lines

Appearance

Carved faceOne face is decorated in bas-relief; the reverse side is smooth and undecorated
Viewing effectThe design can be read in different ways depending on viewing angle and when turned upside down; raking light makes the lines more visible

Iconography and meaning

InterpretationOften considered an early representation of a Peruvian deity and one of the most refined examples of contour-contrast technique in Chavín art
Stylistic featuresBilateral symmetry, contour rivalry, dualism, and transformation
Inverted readingWhen inverted, the image transforms into a smiling reptile face, stacked smiling fanged faces, and rows of faces in place of the staffs
Additional motifsThe belt is depicted as a face with snake ears; snakes protrude from the waist; the composition includes many eyes, mouths, and serpents
HeaddressLarge elaborate headdress of snakes, volutes, caiman, or stacked predatory animals, depending on interpretation
Hands and feetEnd in claws; bird or feline claws are described in different accounts
AttributesHolds a staff or scepter in each hand, sometimes interpreted as resembling San Pedro cactus stalks
Main poseShown frontally with open arms
Depicted subjectThe Staff God, shown as an anthropomorphic feline-like or hybrid deity

Location and ownership

Current locationCourtyard of the Museo Nacional de Arqueología, Antropología e Historia del Perú, Lima, Peru
Current districtPueblo Libre
Inventory number3600 in the Museum of History inventory

Significance

Historical significanceThe first Chavín-style object to become known
Comparative significanceIts iconography has been compared with the Gate of the Sun and the god Wiracocha; similar monoliths such as the Tello Obelisk helped prompt further study of Chavín monuments
Broader meaningThe imagery reflects Chavín concerns with duality, reciprocity, transformation, and hallucinogenic ritual knowledge