CHIMU CULTURE

The beggining of Chimu soars around 700 a.C., but its development as an expansive kingdom started early XIV century until the arrival of the inca army around 1470. Chan Chan was the metropolitan center of this huge regional state, extended along the Peruvian coast from Tumbes to Huarmey valley in the south.

HISTORY
Its history is divided into two moments: the first one, the development of a small not centralized entity in the Moche valley and surroundings. The second one refers to the expansion period. Tacainamo is considered as the founder of the kingdom, the growth to Guacricur and Naucempico, son and grandson of the first, and the last king Minchancaman was capture by the incas around 1470.

CHIMU SOCIETY
The cult to the ancestros was the base of the politic and social organization of Chimu, and it was uphold in the so-called "split heritage". The authorities were buried with their personal belongings, while the rest were distributed to a group of relatives. This forced to each generation to reproduce the whole set of jewels and sacred objects in charge.

The colonial manuscripts locate the ciquic or ruler was at the top of the social pyramid. Below were the alaec or regional chiefs, followed by the fixl, a kind of feudal lords in charge of the parang or vassals. In the base were the servants. According to the investigations, the predominant language was the mochica and between the fishmen it was talk quingnam, but they also knew other languages.

AGRICULTURE
Because the nearness of the sea, the fish was the main sustenance of the Chimu community, but the most important activity was the agriculture. The land produced corn, beans, peanuts, chilies, cotton and fruits as pacae, plums, lucuma, avocado and guanabana. A large ned of channels allowed them to extend the cultivable area. Between the most important channels or aqueducts are Mochica, Moro Huatape and Saint Domingo. Although, non of them is comparable with the famous La Cumbre cannal, in its run this join Chicaza and Moche.

RELIGION
El panteón de dioses era encabezado por la Luna o Si, que marcaba tanto el ciclo marino como el agrícola. Le seguían el Sol, las constelaciones y el mar. Tanto las zonas rurales como los centros urbanos contaron con sus respectivos santuarios. Además, fue una creencia generalizada considerar al soberano como una deidad, así como mantener el culto a los antepasados.

ART
The metallurgy, La metalurgia, the textiles, the feather art and the pottery distinguished in the Chimu tradition, which also Developer the esculture in Word, shells, bones and color stones.

METALLURGY
The Chimú produced wonderfull ceremonial knifes, masks, etc. produjeron hermosos cuchillos ceremoniales, glasses, portrait glasses, earmuffs, bracelets, etc. They used gold, silver, copper and alloys of these metals

POTTERY
The designs with handle stirrup and globular vessels were the main characteristics of the Chimu pottery. Pieces with human and animal representatios were common, as well as geometric designs.

FEATHER ART AND TEXTILES
The feathers indicated authority and aristocracy, with these there were made crowns, belts and pectoral ornaments. The most used were from ducks, macaws, parrots, and amazonic birds. In the textiles they used cotton and vicuña wool.