The discovery of a wooden sculpture in perfect condition in the archaeological center of Chan Chan, considered the largest mud city in America, located in northern Peru. EFE / Ministry of Culture of Peru
A team of archaeologists found a wooden sculpture at a ceremonial center in the pre-Hispanic citadel of Chan Chan in northern Peru, a researcher said Tuesday.
“We found a wooden sculpture in perfect condition belonging to the Chimu culture in the archaeological complex of Chan Chan “said archaeologist Arturo Paredes, head of the special state project investigating Chan Chan.
The antiquity of the sculpture oscillates in an interval between 850 and 1470 years, which corresponds to the first period of the Chimu culture, according to the scientist.
The sculpture measures 46 centimeters in length and 16 in height and represents a human figure with a trapezoidal-cut hood. EFE / Ministry of Culture of Peru
Paredes explained that the discovery took place last week in Huaca Takaynamo, a pyramidal architecture located in Chan Chan. The pre-Hispanic citadel is located on the outskirts of the city of Trujillo, approximately 500 kilometers north of Lime beyond the coast.
Chan Chan was built with bricks and mud, being the largest city in America and the world built with that material.
The details of the sculpture
“The sculpture is 50 centimeters high by 16 wide and represents a litter bearer of a Chimu ruler, and is one of the previous sculptures we have found in the area,” explained the researcher.
The character wears a cap with a trapezoidal cut at the top, which is decorated with seven vertical bands of alternating light and dark colors.
His face is flat, oval-shaped and painted red. The nose, with a straight profile, stands out from the plane of the face, Paredes added.
An expert during the discovery of a perfectly preserved wooden sculpture in the archaeological center of Chan Chan, considered the largest mud city in America, located in northern Peru. EFE / Ministry of Culture of Peru
Next to the sculpture, seeds of nectandra (flowering plants) were recovered, which had to form a necklace.
A small black bag with decoration made from brown and white threads was recorded under the sculpture, the Ministry of Culture reported.
The Deputy Minister of Cultural Heritage, Janie Gómez, stressed that the find confirms the value of the place.
“Optimal our country could live only from the enhancement of its (archaeological) monuments. We have a number, a variety of sites with exceptional features, “he said.
The wooden figure discovered in the ancient archaeological site of Chan Chan, in northern Peru. (Photo by the Peruvian Ministry of Culture / AFP)
Chan Chan, which in its native language means “shining sun”, is one of the most attractive archaeological sites in Peru, together with the citadels of Machu Picchu and Caral.
The ministry’s research and conservation work through the Chan Chan Special Project at the Takaynamo Ceremonial Site began on April 11.
In this ceremonial center rites such as human burials took place, probably motivated by the cult of the feline deities they worshiped.
The extension of Chan Chan reached a maximum of 20 km2. It housed about 30,000 inhabitants. Now 14 km2 remain of the complex, which faces the threats of time, settler invasions and looting.
This city was made up of more than 100,000 streets, walls, workshops and pyramid temples that have shaped the neighborhoods in which the population was distributed. Likewise, the city center consisted of ten walled citadels in which a great social and urban economic activity developed.
The Chimu became a very advanced civilization, but with the arrival of the Incas in their territory their golden age ended. In 1470 Túpac Yupanqui besieged this place, leaving the population completely isolated. Thirty years later, the Chimu decided to rise up against the Incas, but their efforts were in vain: Huayna Cápac and his army burned and sacked the city, leaving it practically in ruins.
Source: Clarin
