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"Archaeological
World Heritage Site" UNESCO - The ancient
Chimu kingdom
(700-1400 AD) founded their capital by
the banks of the Moche River in the
department of La Libertad and called it
Jang-Jang, which in the ancient Mochica
language means "sun-sun". Chan Chan,
which spans an area of 20 square km, is
the largest mud-brick citadel dating
back to the pre-Hispanic era. To build
it, the Chimú architects used clay, mud,
pebbles, wood, reeds, straw and cane,
materials which enable the citadel to
blend in with the sandy coasts. The
complex is made up of many cities within
a city, each of which has its own single
entrance which leads down a corridor
that opens up into other passageways
lining walls and buildings featuring
some marvelous rectangular architecture:
inner patios, residences, administrative
buildings, temples, platforms and
storehouses. The walls were decorated
with haut-relief friezes done in
geometric and animal figures. The
T-shaped platform that housed the king's
burial chamber was the most important
construction in the complex. The citadel
was surrounded by outlying quarters
which housed the kingdom's producers and
servants. The separate cities today have
been given the names of the
archaeologists who studied them (Rivero,
Tschudi, Bandelier, Uhle, Tello). The
Rivero city was the seat of Minchancamán,
the last of the Chimú rulers, who was
captured by the Incas and taken to
Cuzco, according to the Spanish
chroniclers. (PromPeru) |