SICAN CULTURE

The Sican culture, also known as Lambayeque, was developing between 750-800 and 1375 a.D. in La Leche, Lambayeque, Chancay and Reque Valleys in Lambayeque region.

CULTURAL INFLUENCE
By the north its extension was until the Motupe valleys, in Lambayeque, and until the Jequetepeke by the south.

Sican born after the political weaken of Mochica culture and it ends when the Chimu domain starts.

Just a few years ago it was used to think this culture had achieved a reduced influence scope which was demarcated only in the Lambayeque region. Although evidences show the cultural contacts of Sican include even the Tiahuanacos by the south and until some areas of Colombia by the northeast.

ORGANIZATION
The Sican culture was base in a theocratic government, which its political and religious center was, at the beginning, settle in the Batan Grande complex.

Late 900 a.D., this center was relocate to Túcume. According with the investigations made in the area, this culture developed a structure divided in social classes, in this, the power was concentrate in a elite of divine origins, and also in family ties.

The social groups were in charge of the management, handicraft and agriculture.

AGRICULTURE AND TECHNOLOGY
The Sican economy was based in the intensive agriculture. This is why they built an hydraulic system, this system allowed them to join La Leche, Chancay and Reque Valleys. They mainly harvest corn, cotton, beans, pumpkins, potatoes, yucca and sweet potatoes.

METALLURGY
The Sican people produced a great variety of gold, silver copper and tumbaga (alloy of gold and copper) objects.

These objects were make for religious purposes for example mortuary masks, headdress, and tumis (ceremonial knifes).

POTTERY
The Sican pottery has its basis in the Mochicas'. They used the mold technique. Its characteristics are pedestal bases, globular body shapes, and conic peaks.

The most known pottery of this culture is called "King Huaco", this represents an alated eyed heroe, distinctive of the Sican iconography.

TEXTILES
It is not much know, although there were found some cloacks with the same alated eyed heroe of the pottery and headdresses with typical feathers

ARCHITECTURE
The Batan Grande complex has 17 truncate pyramids of 98.43 ft tall made of mud bricks. The most important archaeological sites of this culture are: El Loro, Chotuna, and Las Ventanas. They were mostly used for buries.