Chimu

Chimu stirrup spout vessel, Chimu, AD 900-1430 

Figures and faces

Black Chimu ceramics are some of the most distinctive elements of their material culture. The frequent portrayal of figures and faces bring to life the people who made and used the pots.

Copper Knife, Cusco, unknown date 

Mass production

This distinctive style of knife design is found at many sites in South America and it was used in both practical and ritual settings. Large numbers of metal artefacts like this are found at Chimu sites like Chan Chan, the capital of the Chimu empire. These artefact collections demonstrate how this empire transformed the scale of production during this late pre-Columbian period in South America.

Llama vessel, Chimu, AD 900-1430 

Trade and tribute

The Chimu empire was built upon a network of trade and tribute that funnelled its way back to the capital of Chan Chan from all of the surrounding provinces. The depiction of the llama in the pottery of these coastal peoples hints at how far these territories spread, up the coastal river valleys and into the Andean mountains.

Silver vessel, Chimu, AD 900-1430 

Displaying wealth

Excavations of Royal Tombs in coastal Peru have recovered exquisite gold and silver artefacts. Objects like this silver Chimu vessel demonstrate how wealth was centralized to a powerful elite that controlled and ruled the empire with a rigid hierarchy.

Spondylus shell, Moche, AD 100-800 

A prized possession

The spondylus shell was one of the most highly valued materials in Chimu society. These marine shells normally only live in the warmer waters further north up near the present day coast of Ecuador. There are many theories, often relating to climate change, that are used to explain why they became so prized within Chimu society.