Chan Chan

Just north of Trujillo lie the ruins of a vast city built by the Chimu culture called Chan Chan. The Chimu appeared around 1100 AD. They were evidently sophisticated goldsmiths, fine pottery makers, and very successful at diverting water from the nearby River Moche and Chicama Valley for agricultural production to sustain a large population. Chan Chan was ultimately overthrown by the Incas, who brought down the city by blocking the aquaducts that supplied the city with water. The Chimu chieftans and artisans were taken to Cusco, and the once-thriving city collapsed.

At its height, Chan Chan was a complex city that filled more than 20 square kilometers and contained hundreds of thousands of people. It was a provincial capital led by a high level ruler. Each ruler lived in an elaborate palace surrounded by very high walls (10 meters or more) and filled with sacred areas, living quarters, and such. When one ruler died, there would be an elaborate funeral ceremony that included his burial as well as the sacrifice of several servants and acolytes, who were buried close by. Treasures and offerings were placed in the tomb as well. The palace was then sealed off, and a new one was built for the next ruler.
As a result, there are 9 palaces at Chan Chan. Only one is open to visitors. It is called the Tschudi Palace, named for the archeologist who first worked on it.

This is a wall detail from the Tschudi Palace. The diamond pattern is thought to represent fishing nets, and you can see a stylzed pattern of waves below it.









This is another detail from the walls of the Tshudi Palace, thought to represent schools of fish swimming along the prevailing currents (Humboldt and El Nino).


Archeologists continue to excavate the Tschudi Palace. They have restored some of the original walls and decorations, and they apply a protective coating to the remaining walls to preserve the adobe.

There are two small temples that you can visit at Chan Chan.

This is a detail from the Huaca Arco Iris (Temple of the Rainbow), also known as El Dragon (the Dragon). This temple was used for some sort of ceremonial purpose. It is shaped like a small pyramid with a platform on top. It features a central motif, pictured here, that is repeated along the inner and outer walls of the complex. The motif features a rainbow or two-headed dragon (some say it's a centipede), all of which seem to represent a sort of creator divinity. The heads of the dragon, rainbow, or centipede are biting the tops of humanoid figures, and the middle has two dragons facing each other. They were originally brightly painted; you can still see some of the pigment here.