Chan Chan, The Chimu Kingdom

,  The origin of the Chimu is a legend of a mythical character called Tacaynamo a leader of an army who came from the sea.  The culture became a powerful state in 850AD until 1470AD when the Inca conquered them by blocking their water supply from the mountains above.  The Chimu were then banished from the kingdom.  The city of Chan Chan covers 24km2 and consists of 10 walled compounds.      20 000 to 30 000 people lived in the city, but in the Chimu territory there were up to    500 000 inhabitants.  The Chimu grew lima beans, corn,  pumpkin, sweet potatoes, yucca, pepper and many other things including fruits like plums, avocado and pacae (small berries in a pod).  They also fished, farmed cattle and hunted.  They grew cotton, cane and totora reed.

In Chan Chan, religion was the most important, powerful influence on the people.  The culture was dedicated to the moon (Si) because they considered it more powerful than the sun as one could see it during the day as well as at night.  When the moon didn't appear it was because it was in another world punishing thieves.  Solar eclipses were celebrated as the triumph of the moon over the sun.  The stars were considered to be Chimu ancestors, the biggest and brightest stars were the important and noble people, the smaller, dimmer stars were the less important people.  Other gods were Ni, the god of the sea and Alaecpong the god of stone.

  The Chimu decorated the walls of the kingdom with pelicans, other sea birds, waves and fish made out of mud and clay.  There were diamond patterns everywhere that symbolise the fishing net and circle patterns that represented the moon.  The city was built adobe style, just like the houses in Santa Fe.  If the Chimu were building a new area in the city they would dedicate burials to the structure of the building by burying dead in the walls and under the floor.  The Chimu would also sacrifice people and bury them with offerings like pottery and sea shells in honour to the sea.  When the Chimu died their bodies were mummified in an upright foetal position to represent being in the womb.  They were burried sitting up with their possessions  around them.

The city of Chan Chan had more than 100 giant square wells that were not only for water but were used to grow reeds, be garden parks and on a full moon were used for ceremonies of fertillity because the moon was reflected in the water.  The city also contained a funeral platform where the kings would be placed after five days of ceremonies.  Chan Chan had many corridors, ceremonial squares, temples, plazas, storerooms and halls, it was absolutely massive.  But my favorite thing about Chan Chan was a little ginger kitten at the front gate that Maddy stayed and played with for the whole time we were there.  We all wanted to take the kitten home and would have liked to have sneaked it into Uncle Rus's bag.  Hannah