Two thousand years before the Inca Empire extended its dominion over the Andes, a much less known yet culturally influential society—known as the Chavín Phenomenon—had already developed numerous artistic expressions, built monumental architectural structures, and created shared material practices throughout what is now Peruvian territory.

This early civilization established a particular social order through agricultural innovations, specialized artisanal production, and exchange networks, laying the groundwork for what would later become a hierarchical society settled in the peaks of the Andes.

But beyond agriculture or trade, the most powerful instrument of the Chavín leaders was not immediately visible. Their main weapon was controlled access to altered states of consciousness, a tool of power that, according to a recent study, played a central role in consolidating their authority.

chavin peru hallucinogens govern
Tubes carved in hollow bones and used to inhale tobacco and hallucinogenic vilca, found in Chavín. Credit: Daniel Contreras

An interdisciplinary investigation carried out by archaeologists from the University of Florida, Stanford University, and various South American institutions has discovered the oldest known direct evidence of the use of psychoactive plants in the Peruvian Andes.

The finding took place at the iconic ceremonial site of Chavín de Huántar, in the northern mountains of Peru, where researchers found inhalation tubes carved from hollowed-out bones, carefully placed in the heart of the monumental stone structures that define the site.

Chemical and microscopic analysis of these artifacts revealed the presence of nicotine from wild varieties of tobacco, as well as residues from the vilca seed, a plant with hallucinogenic properties closely related to the compound DMT. These findings suggest that the Chavín elites did not use these substances solely for personal experiences or individual spiritual visions, but rather as part of a sophisticated ritual system that reinforced their position of power within the social order.

chavin peru hallucinogens govern
The site of Chavín de Huantar today. Credit: Daniel Contreras

Unlike other ancient cultures where the use of entheogens was a communal and open practice, rituals in Chavín were carefully restricted. The inhalation tubes were found in private chambers within the massive stone buildings—enclosed and narrow spaces designed to host only a few participants at a time. This architectural layout indicates a deliberately exclusive use, in which access to the sacred and the unknown was reserved for a select minority.

The consumption of psychoactive substances was not limited to the visionary experience. It was part of a strictly controlled ritual, probably reserved for certain individuals, and served to consolidate social hierarchy, explained Dr. Daniel Contreras, anthropological archaeologist at the University of Florida and co-author of the study.

The nature of these experiences, as inferred from the archaeological context and the substance analysis, must have been as profound as they were overwhelming. For those who inhaled these plants within the framework of the ritual, the supernatural must have felt like an inexplicable and dominant force. And that was precisely the objective. Through the strict regulation of access to these altered states of consciousness, Chavín leaders established a powerful ideology, projecting the image that their authority stemmed from a privileged connection with the sacred and the natural.

Thus, more than mere hallucinogens, psychoactive plants became ideological instruments. They were vehicles into the unknown, whose use not only provoked visions, but allowed leaders to affirm their legitimacy as mediators between the earthly world and invisible forces. In a context where worldview and hierarchy were deeply intertwined, controlling access to the mystical was ultimately an effective form of governance.

SOURCES

University of Florida

J.W. Rick, V.S. Lema, et al., Pre-Hispanic ritual use of psychoactive plants at Chavín de Huántar, Peru, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 122 (19) e2425125122, doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2425125122

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