20225503(en)/02 - Building the Valley of Chimor: Reconsiderations and Preliminary Studies of the Chimú Mega-Infrastructure in the Surroundings of Chan Chan (11TH – 15TH Centuries AD)
BUILDING THE VALLEY OF CHIMOR: RECONSIDERATIONS AND PRELIMINARY STUDIES OF THE CHIMÚ MEGA-INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE SURROUNDINGS OF CHAN CHAN (11TH – 15TH CENTURIES AD)
CREANDO EL VALLE DE CHIMOR: RECONSIDERACIONES Y ESTUDIOS PRELIMINARES DE LA MEGAINFRAESTRUCTURA CHIMÚ EN LOS ALREDEDORES DE CHAN CHAN (SIGLOS XI Y XV DC)
Gabriel Prieto
In this article, we present the results from preliminary research at various Chimú archaeological sites surrounding Chan Chan, a pre-Hispanic city inhabited between A.D. 11th to 15th centuries. I emphasize the conception of an architectural mega-project sponsored and undertaken by the Chimú state in order to create an artificial valley where Chan Chan was built. Simultaneously, the whole geography was also organized for the building of roads, populated centers, crop fields, and irrigation canals surrounding the urban center. Part of this planning involved massive sacrifices of children and camelids – mostly near the coast. Additionally, the author indicates that the 12 km long wall built along the northern limit of Chan Chan may have served for protective purposes to defend the city’s built infrastructure against floods that affected the zone seasonally as a consequence of ENSO-type events.
