The Chimú society around 1050/1100-1350 AD in the Moche valley, northern coast of Peru: a perspective from Huanchaco

Abstract

Archaeological excavations in the Huanchaco Bay and in some sectors of Chan Chan are providing new information on religious, economic, and subsistence activities in the core of the Chimú Empire. In addition, several absolute dates of secure contexts allow for better diachronic control of the archaeological data. In this article, I discuss a little-known period in Chimú archaeology, spanning from A.D.1050/1100 to 1300/1350. This time is traditionally divided into the early Chimú and middle Chimú periods. I present archaeological evidence that allows us to generate insights into the social, ideological, and economic organization of Chimú society during this time, particularly in Chan Chan. I argue that the construction of massive irrigation infrastructure, human sacrifices, the production and use of textiles and metal objects, and the importation of exotic products such as Spondylus shells and Amazonian bird feathers could help us understand the social makeup of the Chimú during these early periods. I emphasize how the organization of mass sacrificial events may have been the “articulator” of these social dynamics.