In Peru, on the ruins of the city of Chan Chan, which is attributed to the pre-Incan civilization of Chimu, archaeologists have dug up an entire wall of black wooden figures in white masks.
Presumably, these figures represent "guardians" who were supposed to take care of the safety and well-being of the inhabitants of Chan-Chan.
Archaeologists have unearthed a large room with 19 figurines in the wall niches. Each one is about 70 cm high and painted black. They have white clay masks on their faces.
The room with the "keepers" is adjacent to the ceremonial court of the ruler Chan-Chan.
Chan Chan was the largest city in pre-Columbian America and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. During the city's heyday between 900 and 1470 AD, there were more than 10 thousand houses in it, in which more than 60 thousand inhabitants lived.
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Chan Chan was a very rich city with reserves of gold, silver and a lot of beautiful ceramics. In the 15th century, the Inca attacked the city and forced it to surrender by siege. After the plunder, the city began to decline, and finally it was destroyed after the arrival of the Spaniards.
Little has remained of the entire Chimu culture since then. Basically, archaeologists have access to only the remains of the premises decorated with wall patterns.
