Andeanists have long acknowledged a shamanic component in Formative ceramic art on what is today the north coast of Peru, but disagree about the overall subject of the iconography. In this paper, I argue the primary theme in north coast Middle Formative iconography is altered states of consciousness (ASC). I present evidence for more varied, more prevalent, and much more far-reaching use of...
Abstract Iconography and artifacts from Chavín de Huántar attest to the importance of psychoactive substances consumed nasally as snuff, and consequently hallucinogens other than San Pedro cactus must have been utilized. This article presents iconographic evidence from a Chavín de Huántar sculpture demonstrating the religious significance of Anadenanthera sp. (vilca), a plant containing the...