Chan Chan

For other uses, see Chan Chan (disambiguation).

Coordinates: 8°6′38″S 79°4′30″W / 8.11056°S 79.075°W / -8.11056; -79.075

Chan Chan Archaeological Zone *
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Country	Peru
Type	Cultural
Criteria	i, iii
Reference	366
Region **	Latin America and the Caribbean
Inscription history
Inscription	1986 (10th Session)
Endangered	1986-
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List ** Region as classified by UNESCO

Reliefs of fish in the Tschudi Complex, Chan Chan

Detail of relief above

Pelican carvings, Chan Chan, excavated in 2004

Detail of adobe carving, Chan Chan

Relief wall carving, guide for scale, Chan Chan

Panel of warriors(?), detail of wall above, Chan Chan

The largest Pre-Columbian city in South America, Chan Chan is an archaeological site located in the Peruvian region of La Libertad, five km west of Trujillo.^[1] Chan Chan covers an area of approximately 20 km² and had a dense urban center of about 6km².^[2] Chan Chan was constructed by the Chimor (the kingdom of the Chimú), a late intermediate period civilization which grew out of the remnants of the Moche civilization. The vast adobe city of Chan Chan was built by the Chimu around AD 850 and lasted until its conquest by the Inca Empire in AD 1470. It was the imperial capital of the Chimor until it was conquered in the 15th century. It is estimated that around 30,000 people lived in the city of Chan Chan.

Chan Chan was added as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. The city is severely threatened by tornadoes from El Niño, which causes heavy rains and flooding on the Peruvian coast. It is in a fertile, well-watered section of the coastal plain.^[3] The city's ruins are additionally threatened by earthquakes and looters. Present-day visitors to Chan Chan can enter the Tschudi Complex, believed to be one of the later citadels built in the city. There are also several other Chimú and Moche ruins in the area around Trujillo. This site was discovered by the Conquistador Francisco Pizarro.

Architecture

The city is composed of ten walled citadels which housed ceremonial rooms, burial chambers, temples, reservoirs and some residences. Chan Chan is a triangular city surrounded by walls 50-60 feet high. A distinguishable aspect of Chan Chan is that there are no enclosures which open to the north. The tallest walls shelter against south-westerly winds from Peru's coast. Northern-facing walls gain the greatest exposure to the sun, serving both to block the wind and absorb sunlight where fog is frequent. The numerous walls throughout the city create labyrinth of passages.

The walls themselves were constructed of adobe brick and were then covered with a smooth surface into which intricate designs were carved. There are two styles of design present in these carvings: one is a ‘realistic’ representation of subjects such as birds, fish, and small mammals; and the other is a more graphic, stylized representation of the same subjects. The carvings at Chan Chan depict crabs, turtles, and nets for catching various sea monsters. Chan Chan, unlike most other coastal ruins in Peru, is located extremely close to the Pacific Ocean. In 1998, The "Master Plan for Conservation and Management of the Chan Chan Archeological Complex" is drawn up by the Freedom National Culture Institute of Peru with contributions from the World Heritage Foundation - WHR, ICCROM and GCI. The Plan is approved by the Peruvian Government, with involvement at the highest levels up until today.

Irrigation

In order to increase the amount of farmland surrounding the city, a vast network of canals that diverted water from the Moche river into the area around the city was installed.^[4] It was only with the construction of these canals that the city's population could increase. Before the canals were dug, the city relied on a number of wells that were dug up to 15 meters into the ground.^[5] Many of the canals to the north of the city were destroyed by a catastrophic flood in c. 1100 AD, which was likely the key motivation for a need for the Chimú to refocus their economy towards one rooted in foreign resources rather than subsistence farming.^[5]

Threats to Chan Chan

As the world's largest adobe city, the ancient structures of Chan Chan are today threatened by erosion due to changes in weather patterns - heavy rains, flooding, strong winds.^[6][7]

See also

• Iperu, tourist information and assistance
• Tourism in Peru

References

1. ^ The Smithonian Staff (March 2010), [www.smithsonian.com "10 Must-See Endangered Cultural Treasures"], Smithsonian 39 (12): 35, www.smithsonian.com  - Chan Chan, Peru, End of an Empire by Bruce Hathaway
2. ^ Moore, J. D. (2005). Cultural Landscapes in the Ancient Andes. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.
3. ^ Holstein, Otto. 1927. Chan-chan: Capital of the great chimu. Geographical Review 17, (1) (Jan.): 36-61.
4. ^ http://www.greentracks.com/Chan_Chan.htm
5. ^ ^{a b} The Inca World: The development of pre-Columbian Peru, A.D. 1000-1534 by Laura Laurencich Minelli, Cecilia Bákula, Mireille Vautier – Google Books
6. ^ Endangered Site: Chan Chan, Peru
7. ^ Climate Change: Sites in Peril

Further readings

• Kubler, George. (1962). The Art and Architecture of Ancient America, Ringwood: Penguin Books Australia Ltd., pp. 247-274

External links

• UNESCO World Heritage Center: Chan Chan
• History Channel Classroom: Chan Chan
• Chan Chan information
• Chan Chan - Chimu's Desert City (Flash)
• Heavy Rains Threaten Ancient City in Northern Peru
• Archaeologists Restore High Adobe Walls in Ancient Chimu City of Chan Chan