The archaeological complex Chan Chan is located in the Moche Valley, on the Pacific Ocean, 5 km from the city of Trujillo and 550 km from Lima. Chan Chan is the largest adobe city in the world. Ancient buildings cover an area of over 14 km2. The central part of the city is formed by nine so-called "palaces" - large, walled, platforms, smaller sectors and free-standing pyramids. The city center covers an area of approximately 6 km2. The rest of the complex is ancient, poorly preserved structures: the remains of roads, canals, walls, cemeteries. In 1986, Chan-Chan became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Unfortunately, the city was later included in the Red List of World Heritage Sites as an architectural monument under threat of destruction.
From the Chimu language, according to the transcriptions compiled by Spanish chroniclers, Chan-Chan is translated as "Big Sun" or "Shining Sun". Thus, there is practically no doubt that the name of the city, in one way or another, is associated with the luminary.
Let's take a closer look at it …
Chan Chan is the capital of the powerful and wealthy, technically advanced kingdom of Chimor of the Chimu culture (1100 - 1470). The city was built in the second half of the 9th century and flourished especially from the 13th to the 15th century. The maximum number of residents was over 30,000, and according to some sources, during the period of maximum prosperity, up to 100,000 people could live in the city.
The Chimu capital originally consisted of nine autonomous regions, each of which was ruled by a separate ruler who displayed valor in battle. These rulers were revered as kings. Each district had its own burial sites with rich investments of precious stones, ceramics and dozens of skeletons of young women.
When the Inca conquerors came at the end of the 15th century (1470), they could not take Chan Chan by military means. Therefore, the attackers erected a dam in order to turn the river on which Chan-Chan stood in a different direction. Only a lack of water forced the besieged to surrender to the Incas. After the conquest of the Incas, the city began to lose its significance. However, it was not destroyed and plundered by the Incas, who were more eager to expand their empire Tahuantinsuyu than to wealth. The destruction came when the Spaniards took over the Inca empire. Little remained of the whole Chimu culture after that. Today only huge squares with dilapidated adobe houses and the ruins of religious buildings have survived.
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It should be noted that the Chimu culture, included in Tahuantisuyu (the name of the Inca Empire), surpassed the society created by the sons of the Sun in many respects. It is worth paying tribute to the Incas, they were able not only to see and preserve the achievements of a people alien to them, but also to accept them into their culture. The Incas took possession of the city of Chan Chan as a result of its complete blockade. The soldiers destroyed the aqueducts, thereby depriving the inhabitants of fresh water sources. During the war, a huge number of townspeople died. The fallen Chan Chan was restored, the population returned to a peaceful life.
So, by the arrival of the Spaniards, the city became one of the many prosperous Indian settlements of the great Inca Empire, with a relatively small number of inhabitants, and no longer played an important political role. During the reign of the Spanish crown, Chan Chan was a favorite testing ground for the marauding excavations of the conquistadors, since among the European invaders there was an opinion that untold treasures were hidden in the thickness of the clay walls of the "palaces" and in the pyramids.
During the construction of the city, the craftsmen used the materials most readily available in the region. The most common was adobe, a clay soil sometimes mixed with totoro (a type of reed). The walls of the palaces are massive adobe brickwork, erected on a stone foundation. In the construction of residential areas, ramps, platforms, broken adobe bricks and construction waste mixed with clay were used. Since Chan Chan is located in the arid region of the country, little wood was used in the construction. Basically, pillars, columns and lintels were made from it. The roofs were covered with wicker thatch. Modern visitors are impressed by the beauty, apparent simplicity and style of ancient buildings.
By the time of the Incas, Chan Chan was the largest city of its time on the South American continent and remains the largest adobe city in the world to this day. Ancient buildings cover an area of over 14 km2. The city was functionally divided into two parts - the center and the periphery.
The rectangular city center covered an area of approximately 6 km2 and included three types of buildings: walled areas, also called citadels or palaces; huakis or truncated pyramids, as well as auxiliary buildings.
The periphery of the city was occupied by arable land, orchards, cemeteries, as well as household and agricultural buildings: granaries, warehouses, an irrigation system.
There are nine main palaces (citadels) in the city center. Structures have similar organizational features. All palaces are oriented from north to south, all have one single entrance located in the north wall. Such an organization made it possible to control the arrival and departure of "guests". The interior space of each palace is divided into three sectors: north, central and south.
In the "Northern part" there was a large ceremonial square, bordered by low walls around the perimeter - pedestals, which were apparently used as seats for public events. A ramp led deep into the territory, to the zone called the audience. The audiences are a series of courtyards centered on U-shaped buildings. The purpose of the buildings is ritual.
The “Central Sector” was represented by the largest number of warehouse premises. In addition, it was here that the "Burial Platform" was located - a small pyramid with a truncated top. The lord of each of the citadels found rest in the sacred building. The owner was buried accompanied by servants, wives, concubines, and was also supplied with everything necessary for life. Of course, it was this sector that aroused the greatest interest among the Spanish conquistadors, treasure hunters, from the very beginning of the expansion (from 1532).
The southern sector was the most spacious. Thanks to the work of archaeologists, it became known that it was in this part of the citadel that the owner's daily life took place. There was a kitchen and bedrooms, and it was here that wells were located, providing the entire palace with fresh water.
On the territory of the city of Chan Chan, the remains of archaeological complexes that are not included in the nine "most important" ones have been preserved. They belonged to the city's lower-level elite. The organization of the complexes strongly resembles the organization of nine palaces.
It should be emphasized that the citadels were not just residential complexes, but included sites for ritual activities, and also served as "offices-cabinets", i.e. were administration jobs.
Now the palace Tsshudi (Chudi) is open for visitors; restoration work began on the Rivero Palace.
Tsshudi Palace or Central House - the most famous of the adobe palaces of the city of Chan Chan, was built around 1400. Other names of the citadel are Nik An, tk. the complex was dedicated to the god of the sea Ni, which can be clearly seen in the decorations of the marine theme. Tsshudi Palace is a vivid example of the Chimu architectural style. An important attraction and distinctive feature of the palace is the ceremonial pool located in the central part and preserved to this day. This impressive reservoir appears to have been the scene of ceremonies related to water and fertility.
Until now, two styles of carving design can be found here: animals - birds, fish and small mammals; graphics are stylized images of the same animals. All carved figures were painted yellow or black. The carvings in Chan Chan depict crabs, turtles and nets for catching various marine animals. Chan Chan, unlike most other coastal ruins in Peru, is located close to the Pacific Ocean.
In 1986, Chan-Chan became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Unfortunately, the city is gradually being destroyed. The reasons are the annual storms, which are increasingly modifying the desert coastal areas; raising the level of groundwater; the influence of the climatic anomaly El Niño, as well as illegal settlements on the territory of the archaeological complex, the growth of the city of Trujillo. Due to the ongoing destruction, Chan Chan was included in the Red List of World Heritage Sites as an Endangered Site. Nowadays, scientists from different countries are fighting to save the city.
In recent years, the climatic phenomenon of El Niño has led to increased erosion of the ancient city. For decades, the area has barely received rainfall, but with the change in climate, annual storms are getting stronger and altering desert coastal areas. The best-preserved area is Chudi, named after the Swiss explorer Johann Jacob von Chudi. The area is gradually being restored and is open to tourists. Here you can see some of the festive halls with luxurious ornaments. Until 1998, adobe constructions were covered with a special glaze that protected them from precipitation. Since then, however, the El Niño phenomenon has become so strong that it was necessary to build steel scaffolding so that the ancient structures would not be washed away.
In 2014, work was completed on the construction of protective sheds over the ancient pre-Inca town of Chan-Chan, built of adobe brick. This was announced by the Ministry of Culture of Peru, according to the website Peruvian Times. Work on the USD 60,000 project began in early December last year and employed 70 workers.
The buildings of the ancient city, located near the coastal town of Trujillo, are built of adobe (adobe) and are therefore constantly ravaged by heavy rainfall from the warm El Niño ocean current.
Although El Niño is not expected this year, even slight rainfall can affect the delicately carved walls. “Everything has been planned to minimize the risk of rain damage,” said project head Henri Gayoso. - Potential impacts before, during and after rains are taken into account. This guarantees the safety of the archaeological complex."
The work included cleaning the drainage system and installing protective sheds over the walls of the complex.
Recall that Chan-Chan was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986. The city was the capital of the Chimu kingdom, which controlled the territory of the northern coast of Peru from 900 AD. until the conquest of the Inca army under the command of Tupac Inca Yupanqui at the end of the 15th century. During its heyday, Chan Chan was the largest city in pre-Columbian America and the largest adobe city in the world.
At the same time, it should be noted that at the moment Chan-Chan is included by UNESCO in the list of places that are in danger, not only from the effects of rains, but also from soil erosion and people who invade the territories adjacent to the settlement in order to occupy rural farming, building houses and organizing landfills.
To raise awareness among citizens of the country and instill pride in Peru's heritage, the Ministry of Culture is organizing summer crafts and arts programs for children in Trujillo, which will use the motives of the pre-Columbian cities of the north of the country.
It must be said that Chan-Chan's fame is growing in connection with the development of a Special Project aimed at popularizing the historical monument in the media. In 2013, documentaries were produced and shown on the international news channels CNN and BBC, as well as books and articles were written in popular magazines on the history and culture of Chimu. Interesting programs related to the history of Chimor are held on the territory of the Cham-Cham ruins.