CHAVANTEAN, a small independent linguistic stock of South American Indians, so called from the Chavantes or Cain gangs, its most important tribe. The Chavantean tribes are found to-day on the upper Parana and Lower Paranapanema rivers, in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. They formerly occupied a some what larger territory. These Chavantes are to be carefully dis tinguished from the tribe of the same name in the States of Goyaz and Matto Grosso, who belong to the Ges (q.v.) stock. The Cha vantes are quite dark-skinned, rather timid hunting folk, of very primitive culture. They are very little known. Both sexes wear small bast breech-clouts, but no other clothing. Their dwellings are tiny thatched huts, and their weapons the bow and spear. They have no pottery or textiles.