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{{Short description|Political grouping of the Chimú culture in early Peru}}
{{Distinguish|Khmer (disambiguation){{!}}Khmer}}
{{Infobox country
| native_name            = Chimor
| conventional_long_name = Kingdom of Chimor
| common_name            = Chimú culture
| era                    = [[Late Intermediate Period|Late Intermediate]]
| status                 = Culture
| government_type        = Monarchy
| title_leader           = [[List of rulers of Chimor|Chimor Cápac]]
| leader1                = Taycanamo<ref>{{Cite book |last=Urban |first=Matthias |url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/on1090545680 |title=Lost languages of the Peruvian north coast |date=2019 |publisher=Gebr. Mann Verlag |isbn=978-3-7861-2826-7 |series=Estudios Indiana |location=Berlin |page=225 |oclc=on1090545680}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Salas García |first=José Antonio |date=31 December 2010 |title=La lengua pescadora |url=http://revistas.apl.org.pe/index.php/boletinapl/article/view/764 |journal=Boletín de la Academia Peruana de la Lengua |language=eo |pages=83–128 |doi=10.46744/bapl.201002.004 |issn=2708-2644}}</ref>
| leader2                = Wakri Kaur
| leader3                = Ñancempinco
| leader4                = Minchançaman<ref>{{Cite book |last=Urban |first=Matthias |url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/on1090545680 |title=Lost languages of the Peruvian north coast |date=2019 |publisher=Gebr. Mann Verlag |isbn=978-3-7861-2826-7 |series=Estudios Indiana |location=Berlin |pages=225 |oclc=on1090545680}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Salas García |first=José Antonio |date=31 December 2010 |title=La lengua pescadora |url=http://revistas.apl.org.pe/index.php/boletinapl/article/view/764 |journal=Boletín de la Academia Peruana de la Lengua |language=eo |pages=83–128 |doi=10.46744/bapl.201002.004 |issn=2708-2644}}</ref>
| year_leader1           = {{circa|1305}}
| year_leader2           = {{circa|1340}}
| year_leader3           = {{circa|1375}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sadio |first=Julovar |date=2021 |title=A Summary Of The Chimu Kingdom |url=https://mvfsdnuapzmtinta.quora.com/A-Summary-Of-The-Chimu-Kingdom-Hello-I-actually-wrote-Notes-of-The-Most-Underrated-Civilizations-in-which-The-Whole-A |website=Quora History}}</ref>
| year_leader4           = {{circa|1450|1470}}
| date_pre               = 
| year_start             = {{circa|900}}
| event_end              = [[Chimor–Inca War|Inca conquest]]
| year_end               = 1470
| event_pre              = 
| p1                     = Wari Empire
| flag_p1                = 
| p2                     = 
| flag_p2                = 
| s1                     = Inca Empire
| flag_s1                = Banner_of_the_Inca_Empire.svg
| image_map              = Photomontage Chimu Culture.jpg
| image_map_caption      = Chimú [[pottery]] and [[ceramic art|ceramics]], [[Chan Chan]], Gold ceremonial dress, a map of Chimú cultural influence within Peru
| capital                = [[Chan Chan]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=366 |title=Chan Chan - Capital of Kingdom Chimú |publisher=[[UNESCO]] |access-date=29 March 2012}}</ref>
| common_languages       = [[Quingnam language|Quingnam]], [[Mochica language|Mochica]]
| religion               = Polytheist|
}}

[[File:Tapestry Shirt, Chimú (Peru).jpg|thumb|400px|Chimú Tapestry Shirt, 1400–1540, [[Camelid]] fiber and [[cotton]] - [[Dumbarton Oaks]]]]

'''Chimor''' (also '''Kingdom of Chimor''' or '''Chimú Empire''') was the political grouping of the '''Chimú culture''' ({{IPA|es|tʃi'mu}}). The culture arose about 900 CE, succeeding the [[Moche culture]], and was later conquered by the [[Inca Empire|Inca emperor]] [[Topa Inca Yupanqui]] around 1470, fifty years before the arrival of the Spanish in the region.<ref>Kubler, George (1962), ''The Art and Architecture of Ancient America'', Ringwood, [[Penguin Books|Penguin Books Australia]], pp. 247–274</ref> Chimor was the largest kingdom in the [[Late Intermediate Period]], encompassing 1,000 kilometres (620{{nbsp}}mi) of coastline.

According to Chimú [[oral tradition|oral history]], the history of Chimor began with the arrival of [[:es:Taycanamo|Taycanamo]] in the [[Moche Valley]] from the sea on a [[Pre-Columbian rafts|balsa raft]]. From there, his descendants would conquer surrounding areas starting with his son [[:es:Guacricur|Guacriur]]. Guacricur integrated Chimú's reign over the lower valley and [[:es:Ñancempinco|Ñancempinco]], Taycanamo's grandson would expand the kingdom by conquering the upper valley. Ñançenpinco began to further expansion both north and south of the [[Moche Valley]]s.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Silverman |first=Helaine |date=17 May 1991 |title=Naymlap and Company - The Northern Dynasties, Kingship and Statecraft in Chimor. Michael E. Moseley and Alana Cordy-Collins, Eds. Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, Washington, D.C., 1990 |url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.252.5008.1011 |journal=Science |language=en |volume=252 |issue=5008 |pages=1011–1012 |doi=10.1126/science.252.5008.1011 |pmid=17843261 |issn=0036-8075|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

The first valleys seem to have joined forces willingly, but the [[Sican culture]] was acquired through conquest. They also were significantly influenced by the pre-Inca [[Cajamarca#Pre-Columbian Cajamarca|Cajamarca]] and [[Wari culture]]s. According to legend, its capital of Chan Chan was founded by Taycanamo, who arrived in the area by sea. Chimor was the last kingdom that had any chance of stopping the [[Inca Empire]]. But the Inca conquest began in the 1470s by [[Topa Inca Yupanqui]], defeating the emperor and descendant of Taycanamo, Minchançaman, and was nearly complete when [[Huayna Capac]] assumed the throne in 1493.

The Chimú resided on a strip of desert on the northern coast of Peru. The rivers in the region carved a series of fertile valley plains, which were very flat and well-suited to irrigation. Agriculture and fishing were both very important to the Chimú economy.<ref name="Howland" />

Worshipping the [[moon]], the Chimú, unlike the Inca, considered it more powerful than the [[solar deity|sun]]. Offerings played an important role in religious rites. A common object for offerings, as well as one used by artisans, was the shell of the ''[[Spondylus]]'' shellfish, which resides only in the warm coastal waters off present-day Ecuador. Associated with the sea, rainfall, and fertility, ''[[Spondylus]]'' shells were highly valued and traded by the Chimú people, and the exchange of the shells played a significant economic and political role in the empire.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |date=2001 |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Prehistory |publisher=Springer |edition=1 |volume=7 - South America |isbn=978-0306462610 |article=Chimú |editor2-first=Peter Neal |editor2-last=Peregrine |editor2-link=Peter N. Peregrine |editor1-first=Melvin |editor1-last=Ember |editor1-link=Melvin Ember}}</ref>

The Chimú people are best known for their distinctive monochromatic pottery and fine metal working of [[copper]], [[gold]], [[silver]], [[bronze]], and ''[[tumbaga]]'' (copper and gold). The pottery is often in the shape of a creature or has a human figure sitting or standing on a [[cuboid]] bottle. The shiny black finish of most Chimú pottery was achieved by firing the pottery at high temperatures in a closed [[kiln]], which prevented [[oxygen]] from reacting with the [[clay]].

== History ==
=== Early Chimú (Moche civilization) ===
{{Main|Moche culture}}

The oldest civilization present on the north coast of Peru is the Moche or Mochica civilization, which is identified as Early Chimú. The start of this period is not known for certain, but it ended around 700. It was centered in the [[Chicama Valley|Chicama]], Moche, and [[Viru Valley]]s. "Many large pyramids are attributed to the Early Chimú period." (37)<ref name="Holstein">Holstein, Otto (1927), "Chan chan - Capital of the great Chimu", ''Geographical Review'' 17, (1) (January): 36–61.</ref> These pyramids are built of [[adobe]] in rectangular shapes made from molds. "Early Chimú cemeteries are also found without pyramid associations. Burials are usually in extended positions in prepared tombs. The rectangular, adobe-lined and covered tombs have niches in their walls in which bowls were placed". (39)<ref name="Holstein" />

The early pottery is also characterized by realistic modeling and painted scenes.<ref name="Holstein" />

=== Expansion and rule ===
[[File:Mapa_Chimor.svg|thumb|Map of the area of control and influence of the Chimor culture.]]

==== Expansion ====
During the reign of the [[Wari Empire]] over Peru, the mature Chimú culture developed in roughly the same territory where the Mochica had existed centuries before. The Chimú was also a coastal culture - according to legend, its capital of [[Chan Chan]] was founded by Taycanamo, who arrived in the area by sea. It was developed in the Moche Valley north of present-day Lima, northeast of [[Huarmey]], and finishing in central present-day Trujillo. Later, it expanded to [[Arequipa]]. During this time, Arequipa was framed by 3 volcanoes. (39)<ref name="Holstein" />

The Chimú appeared in the year 900. Chimor, also known as the Kingdom of Chimor, had its capital "at the great site now called Chanchan, between Trujillo and the sea, and we may assume that Taycanamo founded his kingdom there. His son, Guacri-caur, conquered the lower part of the valley and was succeeded by a son named Nancen-pinco who really laid the foundations of the Kingdom by conquering the head of the valley of Chimor and the neighboring valleys of Sana, Pacasmayo, Chicama, Viru, Chao and Santa."<ref name="Howland">Rowe, John H. (1948), "The kingdom of Chimor", ''Aus Acta Americana'' 6, (1-2), 27.</ref>

The estimated founding date of the last Chimú kingdom is in the first half of the fourteenth century. Nacen-pinco was believed to have ruled around 1370 and was followed by seven rulers whose names are not yet known. Minchançaman followed these rulers, and was ruling around the time of the Inca conquest (between 1462 and 1470).<ref name="Howland" /> This great expansion is believed to have occurred during the late period of Chimú civilization, called: Late Chimú,<ref name="Bennett">Bennett, Wendell C. (1937), "Chimu archeology", ''The Scientific Monthly'' 45, (1) (July): 35–48.</ref> but the development of the Chimú territory spanned a number of phases and more than a single generation. Nacen-pinco, "may have pushed the imperial frontiers to Jequetepeque and to Santa, but conquest of the entire region was an agglutinative process initiated by earlier rulers". (17)<ref>Mosely, Michael E. (1990), "Structure and history in the dynastic lore of Chimor", in ''The Northern Dynasties Kingship and Statecraft in Chimor'', eds., Maria Rostworowski and Michael E. Mosely, Washington, D.C., Dumbarton Oaks, 1st ed., p. 548</ref>

The Chimú expanded to include a vast area and many different ethnic groups. The first valleys seem to have joined forces willingly, but the [[Sican culture]] was assimilated through conquest. At its peak, the Chimú advanced to the limits of the desert coast to the valley of the [[Jequetepeque River]] in the north. [[Pampa Grande]] in the Lambayeque Valley was also ruled by the Chimú.

To the south, they expanded as far as Carabayllo. Their expansion southward was stopped by the military power of the great valley of [[Lima]]. Historians and archeologists contest how far south they managed to expand.<ref name="Howland" />

===== Life in the Chimú Empire =====
From what scholars can tell the Chimú had a complex and consolidated empire. The capitol consisted of [[Chan Chan]], lower-class, workshops and homes with a population estimate of around 30,000. These workshops were all built in around [[adobe]] palaces in order to impose social hierarchy ideals. The Chan Chan also had restrictions and were not offered the same privileges as the elite. They had limited access to rituals, bureaucracy, and administrative roles. The high regulations were necessary to keep order with food production and state re-distribution of the products. The class system also helped to determine who would work to create state-sponsored monuments.

==== Rule ====
[[File:Chimú.jpg|thumb|left|Chimú Piece, Imperial Epoch, 1300–1532 [[Larco Museum|Larco Museum Collection]]]]

The Chimú society was a four-level [[hierarchical]] system,<ref name="Christie, J. J. 2006">Christie, J. J. & Sarro, P. J (Eds). (2006), ''Palaces and Power in the Americas'', Austin, [[University of Texas Press]]</ref> with a powerful elite rule over administrative centers. The hierarchy was centered at the walled cities, called ''ciudadelas'', at Chan Chan.<ref name="Keatinge2" /> The political power at Chan Chan is demonstrated by the organization of labor to construct the Chimú's [[canal]]s and irrigated fields.

Chan Chan was the top of the Chimu hierarchy, with Farfán in the Jequetepeque Valley as a subordinate.<ref name="Christie, J. J. 2006" /> This organisation, which was quickly established during the conquest of the Jequetepeque Valley, suggests the Chimú established the hierarchy during the early stages of their expansion. The existing elite at peripheral locations, such as the Jequetepeque Valley and other centers of power, were incorporated into the Chimú government on lower levels of the hierarchy.<ref name="Keatinge2" /> These lower-order centers managed land, water, and labor, while the higher-order centers either moved the resources to Chan Chan or carried out other administrative decisions.<ref name="Keatinge2" /> Rural sites were used as engineering headquarters while the canals were being built; later they operated as maintenance sites.<ref name="Keatinge3" /> The numerous broken bowls found at ''Quebrada del Oso'' support this theory, as the bowls were probably used to feed the large workforce that built and maintained that section of canal. The workers were probably fed and housed at state expense.<ref name="Keatinge3" />

===== Cultural and Economic Exchange =====
[[File:Minchancaman Crop.jpg|thumb|left|A modern representation of Minchançaman from the [[National Museum of Peru]].]]

The Chimú's vast territorial expansion increased the amount of cultural identities within the civilization. They also incorporated political ideologies along with cultural beliefs this is seen with the Late Sicán in the north and the [[Casma River|Casma]] in the South. Despite this, many areas kept distinctive aspects of their culture and some gained autonomy after the conquest.

It has been argued that Chimú leaders conquered territories further away because of the deviations in inheritance. The opposition to this is that an [[El Niño]] that had caused the state to increase the extractive economy in place and get supplies from other areas of the Andes. This El Niño is theorized to have occurred around A.D. 1100 and would have caused the destruction of irrigation canals. Both arguments suggest that agriculture expansion led to increased identities socially and politically.

The Chimú conquered the [[Jequetepeque]] around 1320 and changed the political structure of the society. Places like [[Pacatnamu|Pacatnamú]] were left behind and other sites like Farfán had increased laborers for administrative compounds constructed under the supervision of Imperial administrators. Land use, agricultural methods and settlement patterns of the [[Jequetepeque]] societies all changed after the conquest. Many households had to see tribute requirements and agricultural production increased.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Cutright |first=Robyn E. |date=March 2015 |title=Eating Empire in the Jequetepeque - A Local View of Chimú Expansion on the North Coast of Peru |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1045663500006866/type/journal_article |journal=Latin American Antiquity |language=en |volume=26 |issue=1 |pages=64–86 |doi=10.7183/1045-6635.26.1.64 |s2cid=163656881 |issn=1045-6635 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

==== Downfall ====
{{Main|Chimor–Inca War}}
[[File:Atuendoritualchimumuseolarco.jpg|thumb|Gold adornments of the Chimú dated to about 1300 - [[Larco Museum]]]]

The state governed such social classes until the empire of the Sican culture conquered the kingdom of [[Lambayeque, Peru]]. The legends of war were said to have been told by the leaders [[Naylamp]] in the Sican language and Taycanamo in [[Chimú language|Chimú]]. The people paid tribute to the rulers with products or labor.

Chimor was the last Andean kingdom capable of stopping the Inca Empire, but the [[Inca society|Inca]] conquest began in the 1470s by [[Topa Inca Yupanqui]], defeating the emperor Minchançaman, and was nearly complete when [[Huayna Capac]] assumed the throne in 1493. They moved Minchançaman, the final Chimú emperor, to [[Cusco]] and redirected gold and silver there to adorn the [[Qurikancha]].

== Economy ==
[[File:Vasija chimú caballito de totora (M. América 10788) 01.jpg|thumb|180px|Chimú vessel representing a fisherman on a [[caballito de totora]] (reed watercraft), 1100–1400 - [[Museum of the Americas (Madrid)]]]]

Chan Chan could be said to have developed a [[bureaucracy]] due to the elite's controlled access to information.<ref>Topic, J. R. (2003), "From stewards to bureaucrats - architecture and information flow at Chan Chan, Peru", ''Latin American Antiquity'', 14, 243–274.</ref> The economic and social system operated through the import of raw materials, where they were processed into prestige goods by artisans at Chan Chan.<ref name="Christie, J. J. 2006"/> The elite at Chan Chan made the decisions on most other matters concerning organization, monopolizing production, storage of food and products, and distribution or consumption of goods.

The majority of the citizens in each ''ciudadela'' were artisans. In the late Chimú, about 12,000 artisans lived and worked in Chan Chan alone.<ref name="Moseley, M. E. 1990">Moseley, M. E. & Cordy-Collins, A. (Ed.) (1990), ''The Northern Dynasties - Kingships and Statecraft in Chimor'', Washington, D.C., Dumbarton Oaks.</ref> They engaged in fishing, agriculture, craft work, and trade. Artisans were forbidden to change their profession and were grouped in the ''ciudadela'' according to their area of specialisation. Archeologists have noted a dramatic increase in Chimú craft production, and they believe that artisans may have been brought to Chan Chan from another area taken as a result of Chimú conquest.<ref name="Moseley, M. E. 1990" /> As there is evidence of both metalwork and [[weaving]] in the same domestic unit, it is likely that both men and women were artisans.<ref name="Moseley, M. E. 1990" /> They engaged in fishing, agriculture, and metallurgy and made ceramics and textiles from cotton and the wool of [[llama]], [[alpaca]], and [[vicuña]]. People used reed fishing canoes (displayed in the image on the right), hunted, and traded.

=== Subsistence and agriculture ===
[[Image:Vasija Chimú sexual (M. América, Madrid) 01.jpg|thumb|185x185px|left|Chimú vessel showing a sexual act - [[Museum of the Americas (Madrid)|Museum of the Americas, Madrid]]]]

The Chimú developed mainly through [[intensive farming]] techniques and hydraulic work, which joined valleys to form complexes, such as the Chicama-Moche complex, which was a combination of two valleys in La Libertad. The Lambayeque linked the valleys of La Leche, Lambayeque, Reque, and Saña Jequetepeque. They developed an excellent agricultural techniques which expanded the strength of their cultivated areas. ''Huachaques'' were sunken farms where land was withdrawn to work the moist, sandy soil underneath, an example of which is Tschudi.

The Chimú used walk-in wells, similar to those of the [[Nazca culture|Nazca]], to draw water, and reservoirs to contain the water from rivers. This system increased the productivity of the land, which increased Chimú wealth and likely contributed to the formation of a bureaucratic system. The Chimú cultivated beans, sweet potatoes, papaya, and cotton with their reservoir and irrigation system. This focus on large-scale irrigation persisted until the Late Intermediate period. At this point, there was a shift to a more specialized system that focused on importing and redistributing resources from satellite communities.<ref>Mosely, Michael E. and Kent C. Day; 1982, Chan Chan - Andean desert city, 1st ed., United States of America, School of American Research.</ref> There appears to have been a complex network of sites that provided goods and services for Chimú subsistence. Many of these sites produced commodities that the Chimú could not.

Many sites relied on marine resources, but after the advent of agriculture, there were more sites further inland, where marine resources were harder to attain. Keeping [[llama]]s arose as a supplemental way of attaining meat, but by the Late Intermediate period and Late Horizon, inland sites used llamas as a main resource, although they maintained contact with coastal sites to use supplemental marine resources. They also made masks.

==== Technology ====
One of the earliest known examples of distance communication is a Chimú device consisting of two resin-coated gourds connected by a 75-foot length of twine. Only one example has been found, and nothing is known about its originator or use.<ref>[https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/theres-a-1200-year-old-phone-in-the-smithsonian-collections-180947641/ There's a 1200-year-old Phone in the Smithsonian Collections], Baldwin, Neil; ''Smithsonian'', December 2013</ref>

== Split inheritance ==
The Chimu capital, Chan Chan, had a series of elite residential compounds or cuidadelas that were not occupied simultaneously but sequentially. The reason for this is that Chimu rulers practiced split inheritance, which dictated that the heir to the throne had to build his own palace. After the death of a ruler, all the ruler's wealth would be distributed to more distant relatives.

== Visual arts ==
=== Shell ===
The Chimú people highly valued mollusk shell for its economic and political significance as a luxury good traded over long distances, and the shell was often viewed as a symbol of elite status and divine power. Using shell as a medium for their art and artifacts, the Chimú frequently employed the shell of ''[[Spondylus]]'' a type of marine bivalve mollusk.<ref name=":02">{{Cite journal |last=Pillsbury |first=Joanne |date=1996 |title=The Thorny Oyster and the Origins of Empire - Implications of Recently Uncovered Spondylus Imagery from Chan Chan, Peru |journal=Latin American Antiquity |language=en |volume=7 |issue=4 |pages=313–340 |doi=10.2307/972262 |issn=1045-6635 |jstor=972262 |s2cid=164108466}}</ref>

The most abundant ''Spondylus'' species present in Peru are ''Spondylus calcifer'' Carpenter and ''[[Spondylus princeps]]'' Broderip, ''Spondylus calcifer'' has red and white hues, primarily used for beads and artifacts.<ref name=":02" /> While this species resides in shallower waters and is easier to obtain, the ''Spondylus princeps'', known as the "thorny oyster" for its characteristic spines, is a solid red color and can only be harvested by experienced divers. Thus, this shell is more highly desired and traded by the Chimú people.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Glowacki |first=Mary |date=2005 |title=Food of the Gods or mere mortals? Hallucinogenic Spondylus and its interpretive implications for early Andean society |journal=Antiquity |language=en |volume=79 |issue=304 |pages=257–268 |doi=10.1017/s0003598x00114061 |s2cid=160047859 |issn=0003-598X}}</ref>

==== Uses and symbolism ====
[[File:Collar MET DP216742.jpg|thumb|279x279px|Chimú collar, twelfth-fourteenth century, made of ''Spondylus'' beads, stone beads, and cotton - [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]]]]
[[File:Sling Shot with Shells MET DP158703.jpg|thumb|left|341x341px|Chimú or Chancay sling shot with shells made of shell, wool, cotton, and beads - fourteenth-fifteenth century [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]]]]

''[[Spondylus]]'' shell had a wide variety of uses in Andean culture and took a variety of forms, ranging from whole shells to fragments to ground shell powder.<ref name=":0" /> This material was worked to create intricately carved ornaments, tools, and goods reserved for the nobles and deities. Shell fragments have been found as inlays for body ornaments and as beads for pieces of jewelry. The image to the right displays a Chimú collar made of cotton, red ''Spondylus'' shell beads, and black stone beads,<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |url=https://www.metmuseum.org/blogs/now-at-the-met/2016/design-for-eternity-thorny-oysters |title=Thorny Oysters - The Daughters of the Sea |website=metmuseum.org |publisher=[[Metropolitan Museum of Art]] |language=en |access-date=12 April 2018}}</ref> and the image below displays a sling shot made of shell. Representing wealth and power, the shell was ground into powder and spread out before the Chimor king by an official called the Fonga Sigde, forming a "red carpet" for the ruler as he walked.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |title=Art of the Andes - From Chavín to Inca |last=Miller |first=Rebecca Stone |publisher=[[Thames & Hudson]] |date=1996 |isbn=978-0500202869 |pages=160–161 |url=https://archive.org/details/artofandesfromch0000ston/page/160}}</ref> Shell were likewise used for ornamentation of certain buildings and architectural structures.<ref name=":02" />

Found in the tombs of nobles, these artifacts were often used as burial goods and played a role in sacrificial practices.<ref name=":02" /> Due to its aquatic origins, shells were prized for their connection to the sea and role in water and fertility rituals, used as offerings in agricultural fields to promote abundant crop yields. The Chimú also placed shells in sources of water, such as wells and springs, to bring rain to their fields, especially in times of drought.<ref name=":2" />

The symbolic significance of the ''[[Spondylus]]'' shell is closely related to the physical attributes and biological properties of the bivalve. Its characteristic morphology contributed to the association of the shell with divine power and the supernatural world. The external spines of ''Spondylus'' lend to the shell its ties to strength and protection.<ref name=":02" /> Because of its shape and red blood-like color, the shell often represents death, sacrifice, and ritual bloodletting practices, as well as female reproductive body parts.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Park |first1=Yumi |title=Mirrors of Clay - Reflections of Ancient Andean Life in Ceramics from the Sam Olden Collection |date=2012 |publisher=[[University Press of Mississippi]] |isbn=978-1617037955 |pages=91–92}}</ref> Known as the "daughter of the sea," the ''Spondylus'' shell has also been linked to femininity, with the univalve embodying masculinity.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Ritual Sacrifice in Ancient Peru |date=2001 |publisher=[[University of Texas Press]] |isbn=0292708939 |edition=1st |oclc=55873621}}</ref>

''Spondylus'' has specialized sensory organs, in particular, sensitive eyes and papillae, that Andean cultures associate with extra sensory protection. Sensitive to temperature changes in water and thriving in warmer waters, the shell was thought to have divinatory powers, and because its migratory patterns are related to [[El Niño]] conditions, its presence is seen as an omen for disaster.<ref name=":02" />

Moreover, ''Spondylus'' exhibits seasonal toxicity, known as [[Paralytic shellfish poisoning]] (PSP). Twice a year, the mollusk tissue contains substances that are toxic to humans, caused by poisonous algae that the mollusks consume.<ref name=":0" /> During these months, the shells are offered to weather and fertility deities as "food for the gods", as it was thought that only deities were powerful enough to eat the flesh of the bivalve.<ref name=":02" /> At tolerable levels, human consumption of this toxic flesh may result in muscle weakness, mind-altering states, and euphoria, but in more concentrated doses, may lead to paralysis and death. Because of these hallucinogenic effects, ''[[Spondylus]]'' was a symbol of spiritual transcendence and was viewed as bridge between physical and supernatural worlds.<ref name=":0" />

==== Diving ====
[[File:Earspool spondylus shell Carlos Museum.png|thumb|Chimú or Lambayeque earspool, Late Intermediate Period, Central Andes, made of gold-copper alloy and silver alloy - [[Michael C. Carlos Museum]]]]

Though the remains of shell workshops and artifacts are abundant in Chimor, the ''[[Spondylus]]'' shell originates in the warm waters of Ecuador.<ref name=":02" /> Harvesting the shell is both a time and labor-intensive process, requiring experienced divers to free dive to depths of up to 50 meters and pry the shells off of rocks.<ref name=":3" />

The difficult task of shell diving is captured in the imagery of many portable Andean artifacts, such as bowls, earspools, and textiles.<ref name=":02" /> Many of these images are similar, illustrating a boat with sailors holding cords attached to the divers in the water. Stone weights are suspended from the divers as they gather shells, and portrayals of ''Spondylus'' often emphasize their characteristic spines.<ref name=":3" /> The image to the right features a Chimú earspool, which was molded from gold-copper and silver alloys and depicts a shell diving scene. The rectangle in the upper half of the earspool is a boat with large sails, and birds reside at the top of the piece. Four divers swim beneath the boat and are near spiky eggshell-shaped shells.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://carlos.emory.edu/content/earspools |title=Earspools |website=carlos.emory.edu |language=en |access-date=13 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180413015508/http://carlos.emory.edu/content/earspools |archive-date=13 April 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Sections of ''ciudadelas'', large compounds often reserved for the kings and elite individuals, were used as storage areas for shell artifacts, and the architecture and ornamentation of these structures symbolize the treasures of the sea. Los ''Buceadores'' (the Divers), a relief in [[Chan Chan]] in Ciudadela Uhle, displays imagery of a pair of figures in a tule boat, one of whom holds a paddle, and another pair of shell divers beneath the boat and connected to ropes. The relief also features a net-like semicircle, as well as spiny figures that represent shells.<ref name=":02" />

==== Production and trade ====
[[File:Chimushell.jpg|thumb|left|Chimú pendant, 900–1470, made of ''[[Spondylus]]'' shell and turquoise - [[Dumbarton Oaks]]]]

Much of the existing evidence for shell-working in the Andes stems from archaeological findings and colonial texts. ''[[Spondylus]]'' is abundant in sites across Peru, discovered in burial sites and with the remains of shell workshops.<ref name=":0" /> The high level of uniformity in these shell objects, combined with the technical nature of shell-working, indicate that ''Spondylus'' production was domestic and carried out by independent craftsmen. Many collections of ''Spondylus'' artifacts contain objects from various stages of shell production: whole shells, fragments, worked pieces, and debris from shell reduction. Though researchers have uncovered worked shell debris and ample proof for the presence of shell workshops, they have only identified and discussed very few specific shell workshops. One workshop, which was thought to be maintained by the Chimú people, was identified at [[Túcume]] in the [[Lambayeque Region]] of Peru by archaeologist and researcher Daniel Sandweiss. Dating back to around 1390–1480, the workshop comprised various small rooms and contained evidence for the production of ''Spondylus'' beads. Shell debris from all stages of production, ranging from cut pieces to finished beads, along with the stone tools used to work the shell, were excavated from the site.<ref name=":4">{{Cite book |title=Making Value, Making Meaning - Techné in the Pre-Columbian World |last=Costin |first=Cathy Lynne|publisher=Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection |date=2016 |isbn=9780884024156 |location=Washington, D.C. |pages=221–252}}</ref>

While many archaeological sources point to the abundance of shell-working, as the remains of shell workshops and artifacts were uncovered widely in Peru, little evidence documents the movement of ''Spondylus'' from its source in Ecuador to workshops in [[Chan Chan]].<ref name=":02" /> The archaeological record indicates that Chimor was an important center for the exchange of trade, and shell often traveled long distances from its geographic source to reach the empire of Chimor. The trade of ''Spondylus'' was integral to the expanding political power and economy of the Chimú.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Martin |first=Alexander J. |date=2001 |title=The Dynamics of Pre-Columbian Spondylus Trade across the South American Central Pacific Coast |journal=Florida Atlantic University, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing |via=ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global |url=https://fau.digital.flvc.org/islandora/object/fau%3A9706/datastream/OBJ/download/dynamics_of_pre-Columbian_Spondylus_trade_across_the_South_American_Central_Pacific_Coast.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200619010259/https://fau.digital.flvc.org/islandora/object/fau%3A9706/datastream/OBJ/download/dynamics_of_pre-Columbian_Spondylus_trade_across_the_South_American_Central_Pacific_Coast.pdf |archive-date=19 June 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> The shell was viewed as an exotic material, and the Chimor control of the exchange of the imported luxury good served as a means of political control, establishing and legitimizing the rule of the nobles.<ref name=":02" /> Unlike the Inca Empire, the Chimú did not attempt to expand its command of the ''Spondylus'' trade through imperial conquests of neighboring states, but rather, used its existing access to the trade as a religious and financial justification for power.<ref name=":4" />

Little information exists about the means by which ''Spondylus'' was acquired and exchanged along trade routes, and many scholars have proposed various models for ''[[Spondylus]]'' movement.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last=Paulsen |first=Allison C. |date=1974 |title=The Thorny Oyster and the Voice of God - Spondylus and Strombus in Andean Prehistory |journal=American Antiquity |language=en |volume=39 |issue=4Part1 |pages=597–607 |doi=10.2307/278907 |issn=0002-7316 |jstor=278907 |s2cid=163248896}}</ref> The marine bivalve was likely traded either through independent merchants or state-administered long-distance trade, with a north-south movement of the items.<ref name=":02" /> One of the first accounts of exchange of ''Spondylus'' is a report written by Spanish colonist [[Francisco Xerez]], who was a member of the expedition led by [[Francisco Pizarro]], and describes a raft of luxury goods, such as textiles, emeralds, and gold and silver objects, which were to be traded for ''Spondylus'' shells.<ref name=":2" />

Researchers likewise disagree on the transportation methods of shells and whether they were exported via sea or land.<ref name=":1" /> Imagery in Andean pottery and reliefs depict llama caravans carrying shell, providing evidence that the transportation of shell was at least in part overland.<ref name=":0" />

=== Textiles ===
[[File:Mantle LACMA M.80.71.7.jpg|thumb|664x664px|center|Chimú [[mantle (clothing)|mantle]], Late Intermediate Period, 1250-1350, Camelid fiber and cotton tapestry weave - [[Los Angeles County Museum of Art]] (LACMA)]]

Spinning is the practice of combining a small set of threads to achieve a long and continuous thread with the use of an instrument called a [[spindle (textiles)|spindle]]. The ''zone'' is an instrument made of a small wand that usually gets thinner at both ends; that was used alongside a ''tortera'' or ''piruro''. The spindle is inserted into the bottom to make a counterweight. It starts spinning, taking the ''rueca'' (where the fiber was set to be spun). Fibers that are laid down in the zone are quickly turned between the thumb and index fingers and twisted to interlock the fibers, creating a long thread. After the desired lengths of threads are attained, the threads are intersected and woven in various combinations to make fabrics.

The Chimú embellished their fabrics with [[brocades]], [[embroidery]], fabrics doubles, and painted fabrics. Sometimes textiles were adorned with feathers and gold or silver plates. Tropical feathers used in such textiles are evidence of long-distance trade.<ref name=":3" /> Colored dyes were created from plants containing [[tannin]], ''[[mole (animal)|mole]]'', or [[walnut]]; and minerals, such as [[clay]], ferruginosa, or mordant aluminum; as well as from animals, such as [[cochineal]]. The garments were made of the wool of four animals: the [[guanaco]], llama, alpaca, and vicuna. The people also used varieties of cotton, that grows naturally in seven different colors. The clothing consisted of the Chimú loincloth, sleeveless shirts with or without fringes, small ponchos, and tunics.

The majority of Chimú textiles were made from [[Alpaca fiber|alpaca wool]] and cotton.<ref name="Moseley, M. E. 1990"/><ref name=":3" /> Judging from the uniform spin direction, degree of the twist, and colors of the threads, it is likely that all of the fibers were pre-spun and imported from a single location.

=== Ceramics ===
[[Image:Chimú - Jar - Walters 482858 - Three Quarter.jpg|thumb|left|223x223px|Earthenware jar, between 1100 and 1550 - [[Walters Art Museum]]]]

The civilization is known for its exquisite and intricate metalworking, one of the most advanced of the pre-Columbian era. Chimú ceramics were crafted for two functions: containers for daily domestic use and those made for ceremonial use for offerings at burials. Domestic pottery was developed without higher finishing, while funeral ceramics show more aesthetic refinement.

The main features of Chimú ceramics were small sculptures and manufacturing molded and shaped pottery for ceremonial or daily use. Ceramics were usually stained black, although there are some variations. Lighter ceramics were also produced in smaller quantities. The characteristic brightness was obtained by rubbing with a rock that previously had been polished. Many animals, fruits, characters, and mystical entities have been represented pictorially on Chimú ceramics. Archaeological evidence suggest that Chimor grew out of the remnants of the [[Moche culture|Moche]], as early Chimú pottery had some resemblance to that of the Moche. Their ceramics are all black, and their work in precious metals is very detailed and intricate.

=== Metallurgy ===
[[File:Beaker with Face YUAG.tif|thumb|304x304px|Chimú beaker with face, Central Andes, 1100–1536, made of hammered silver - [[Yale University Art Gallery]]]]

Metalworking picked up quickly in the Late Chimú periods.<ref name="Moseley, M. E. 1990"/> The Chimú worked with metals such as gold, silver, and copper.<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Chimu |title=Chimú |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]] |access-date=20 April 2018}}</ref> Some Chimú artisans worked in metal workshops divided into sections for each specialized treatment of metals: plating, gold, stamping, lost-wax, pearl, the watermark, and embossing wooden molds. These techniques produced large variety of objects, such as cups, knives, containers, figurines, bracelets, pins, and crowns. They used arsenic to harden the metals after they were cast. Large-scale smelting took place in a cluster of workshops at Cerro de los Cemetarios.<ref name="Moseley, M. E. 1990" /> The process starts with ore extracted from mines or a river, which is heated to very high temperatures and then cooled. The result is a group of prills, such as small round sections of copper, in a mass of slag, which are other materials which are not useful for metallurgy. The prills are then extracted by crushing the slag, and then melted together to form ingots, which were fashioned into various items. The Chimú also shaped metals through hammering, as displayed in the image on the right of the silver Chimú beaker. Chimú metalsmiths achieved this technique with simple tools and a single sheet of gold. The artist would first carve a wooden mold. Then they would carefully hammer the paper-thin sheet of gold around the wooden base.<ref>Emmerich, André; "IV: The Horizon of the City Builders". In Sweat of the Sun and Tears of the Moon: Gold and Silver in Pre-Columbian Art, Seattle, [[University of Washington Press]], 1965.</ref>

Although copper is found naturally on the coast, it was mostly attained from the highlands in an area about 3 days away.<ref name="Moseley, M. E. 1990"/>  Since most of the copper was imported, it is likely that most of the metal objects that were made were likely very small. The pieces, such as wires, needles, digging stick points, tweezers, and personal ornaments, are consistently small, utilitarian objects of copper or copper bronze.<ref name="Moseley, M. E. 1990"/> The [[Tumi]] is one well-known Chimú work. They also made beautiful ritual costumes of gold compounds with plume headdresses, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and breastplates.

== Religion ==
=== Deities ===
[[File:Lombards Museum 198.jpg|thumb|190px|left|Chimú gold plaque, displays god [[Naymlap]] on his boat - Lombards Historical Society Museum]]

In Pacasmayo, the [[Moon]] deity (Si or Shi) was the greatest divinity. It was believed to be more powerful than the [[Sun]], as it appeared by night and day, and it also controlled the weather and growth of crops. Devotees sacrificed animals and birds to the Moon, as well as their own children on piles of colored cottons with offerings of [[fruit]] and [[chicha]]. They believed the sacrificed children would become deified and they were usually sacrificed around age five.

The Chimú worshipped Mars (Nor) and Earth (Ghisa) deities, as well as the [[Sun]] (Jiang) and the [[Sea]] (Ni) deities. Jiang was associated with stones called alaec-pong (cacique stone), which were believed to be ancestors of the people in whose area they stood and sons of the Sun.<ref name="Howland" /> The Chimú made offerings of [[maize]] flour of red [[ochre]] to Ni for protection against drowning and bountiful catches of fish.<ref name="Howland" />

Several constellations were also viewed as important. Two of the stars of [[Orion's Belt]] were considered to be the emissaries of the [[Moon]]. The constellation Fur (the [[Pleiades]]) was used to calculate the year and was believed to watch over the crops.<ref name="Howland" />

Each district had local shrines that varied in importance. These shrines, called ''[[huacas]],''{{clarify|date=November 2019}}{{citation needed|date=November 2019}}{{dubious|date=November 2019}} were also found in other parts of Peru, and had a sacred object of worship (''macyaec'') with an associated legend and cult.<ref name="Howland" />

=== Sacrifice ===
{{Main|Punta Lobos massacre}}

In 1997, members of an archaeological team discovered approximately 200 skeletal remains on the beach at [[Punta Lobos, Peru]]. These figures were blindfolded and had their hands bound behind their backs, their feet bound together, and their throats slashed. Archaeologists suggest these figures, likely bodies of fishermen, may have been killed as a sign of gratitude to the sea god Ni after they conquered the fishermen's fertile seaside valley in 1350 A.D.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn2885-mass-human-sacrifice-unearthed-in-peru.html |title=Mass human sacrifice unearthed in Peru |access-date=9 October 2009}}</ref>

Tombs in the Huaca of the Moon belonged to six or seven teenagers from 13–14 years of age. Nine tombs belonged to children.

In 2011, archaeologists uncovered human and animal skeletons in the village of [[Huanchaco]]. After years of excavation, they identified more than 140 human (and more than 200 [[llama]]) skeletons from children between the ages of 6 and 15, all of whom had deep slashes across the sternum and broken rib cages indicating that their hearts may have been removed. According to ''[[National Geographic]]'', if the analysis is correct, the discovery constitutes "the largest single mass [[child sacrifice]] event known in world history". The burial is dated at 1400–1450. Anthropologist Haagen Klaus speculates that Chimú might have turned to children when the sacrifice of adults was not enough to stop torrential rain and flooding caused by El Niño.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/04/mass-child-human-animal-sacrifice-peru-chimu-science/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180426153009/https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/04/mass-child-human-animal-sacrifice-peru-chimu-science/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 April 2018 |title=Ancient Mass Child Sacrifice May Be World's Largest |publisher=[[National Geographic]] |date=26 April 2018 |access-date=29 August 2019}}</ref> In August 2019 the archaeological team working at this site revealed that the bodies of 227 victims, aged between four and 14, had been excavated, further establishing this as the largest-ever known example of child sacrifice.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-29/peru-child-sacrifice/11459208/ |title=Archaeologists in Peru unearth 227 bodies in biggest-ever discovery of child sacrifice |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=29 August 2019 |access-date=29 August 2019}}</ref>

== Architecture ==
[[File:Chanchan carvings.jpg|thumb|Carvings of fish in the Tschudi Complex, Chan Chan]]

Differential architecture of palaces and monumental sites distinguished the rulers from the common people. At [[Chan Chan]], there are ten large, walled enclosures called ''ciudadelas'', or royal compounds, thought to be associated with the kings of Chimor. They are surrounded by adobe walls that are nine meters high,<ref name="Moore1">Moore, Jerry D.; 1992, Pattern and meaning in prehistoric [[Peruvian architecture]]: The architecture of social control in the Chimú state. Latin American Antiquity 3, (2) (June): 95–113.</ref> giving the ''ciudadela'' the appearance of a fortress.

The bulk of the Chimú population (approximately 26,000 people) lived in ''barrios'' on the outer edge of the city.<ref name="Moseley, M. E. 1990"/> They consisted of many single-family domestic spaces with a kitchen, work space, domestic animals, and storage area.

''Ciudadelas'' frequently have U-shaped rooms that consist of three walls, a raised floor, and frequently, a courtyard,<ref name="Tropic8">Topic, J. R. (2003), From stewards to bureaucrats: architecture and information flow at Chan Chan, Peru, [[Latin American Antiquity]], 14, 243–274.</ref> and there were often as many as 15 in one palace.<ref name="Christie, J. J. 2006"/> In the early Chimú period, the U-shaped areas were found in strategic places for controlling the flow of supplies from storerooms, but it is unlikely that they served as storage areas.<ref name="Moore1" /> They are described as mnemonic devices for keeping track of the distribution of supplies.<ref name="Tropic8" /> Over time, the frequency of the U-shaped structures increased, and the distribution of the structures changed, becoming more grouped rather than dispersed and occurring further away from access routes to resources.

The architecture of the rural sites also supported the idea of a hierarchical social order. They have similar structural components, making them mini-''ciudadelas'' with rural adapted administrative functions. Most of these sites have smaller walls, with many ''audiencias'' as the focal point of the structures. These would be used to restrict access to certain areas and are often found at strategic points.<ref name="Keatinge3">Keatinge, Richard W.; 1974, Chimu rural administrative centers in the Koche valley, Peru, [[World Archaeology]] 6, (1, Political Systems) (June), 66–82.</ref>

Chan Chan shows a lack of a unifying plan or a discernible pattern. The urban core contains six principal classes of architecture:<ref name="Moore2" />
# Ten ''ciudadelas'' - citadels or palatial fortresses
# Domestic architecture associated with [[Chan Chan]]'s non-royal gentry 
# Artisan-class dwellings and workshops spread throughout the city
# Four ''[[huaca]]''s or temple mounds<ref name="Moore2">Moore, Jerry D.; 1996, Architecture and power in the ancient andes - The archaeology of public buildings, [[Cambridge University Press]], 1996.</ref>
# U-shaped ''audiencias'' or courts<ref name="Keatinge2">Keatinge, Richard W. and Geoffrey W. Conrad; 1983, Imperialist expansion in peruvian prehistory - Chimu administration of a conquered territory, [[Journal of Field Archaeology]], 10, (3) (Autumn), 255–283.</ref>
# SIAR or small irregular agglutinated rooms, which probably served as the residences for the majority of the population<ref name="Keatinge2" />

== See also ==
* [[Chimor–Inca War]]
* [[List of rulers of Chimor]]
* [[Moche (culture)|Moche]]
* [[Chan Chan]]
* [[Huanchaco]]
* [[Swamps of Huanchaco]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Sources ==
* {{Cite book |title=Making Value, Making Meaning - Techné in the Pre-Columbian World |last=Costin |first=Cathy Lynne |publisher=[[Dumbarton Oaks|Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection]] |date=2016 |isbn=9780884024156 |pages=221–252}}
* {{Cite web |url=http://carlos.emory.edu/content/earspools |title=Earspools |website=carlos.emory.edu |language=en |access-date=13 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180413015508/http://carlos.emory.edu/content/earspools |archive-date=13 April 2018 |url-status=dead}}
* {{Cite journal |last=Glowacki |first=Mary |date=2005 |title=Food of the Gods or mere mortals? Hallucinogenic Spondylus and its interpretive implications for early Andean society |journal=Antiquity |language=en |volume=79 |issue=304 |pages=257–268 |doi=10.1017/s0003598x00114061 |s2cid=160047859 |issn=0003-598X}}
* {{Cite journal |last=Martin |first=Alexander J. |date=2001 |title=The Dynamics of Pre-Columbian Spondylus Trade across the South American Central Pacific Coast |journal=[[Florida Atlantic University]] |via=[[ProQuest Dissertations and Theses]]}}
* {{Cite book |title=Art of the Andes - From Chavín to Inca |last=Miller |first=Rebecca Stone |publisher=[[Thames & Hudson]] |date=1996 |isbn=978-0500202869 |pages=160–161 |url=https://archive.org/details/artofandesfromch0000ston/page/160}}
* {{Cite book |last1=Park |first1=Yumi |title=Mirrors of Clay - Reflections of Ancient Andean Life in Ceramics from the Sam Olden Collection |date=2012 |publisher=[[University Press of Mississippi]] |isbn=978-1617037955 |pages=91–92}}
* {{Cite journal |last=Paulsen |first=Allison C. |date=1974 |title=The Thorny Oyster and the Voice of God - Spondylus and Strombus in Andean Prehistory |journal=[[American Antiquity]] |language=en |volume=39 |issue=4 Part 1 |pages=597–607 |doi=10.2307/278907 |issn=0002-7316 |jstor=278907 |s2cid=163248896}}
* {{Cite journal |last=Pillsbury |first=Joanne |date=1996 |title=The Thorny Oyster and the Origins of Empire - Implications of Recently Uncovered Spondylus Imagery from Chan Chan, Peru |journal=[[Latin American Antiquity]] |language=en |volume=7 |issue=4 |pages=313–340 |doi=10.2307/972262 |issn=1045-6635 |jstor=972262 |s2cid=164108466}}
* {{Cite book |title=Ritual Sacrifice in Ancient Peru |date=2001 |publisher=[[University of Texas Press]] |isbn=0292708939 |edition=1st |oclc=55873621}}
* {{Cite web |url=https://www.metmuseum.org/blogs/now-at-the-met/2016/design-for-eternity-thorny-oysters |title=Thorny Oysters - The Daughters of the Sea |website=The Metropolitan Museum of Art |language=en |access-date=12 April 2018}}
* [http://bruceowen.com/andeanae/and8s21.htm Chimor outline]
* Moore, J.D., Mackey, C.J. (2008), The Chimú Empire. In: Silverman, H., Isbell, W.H. (eds) The Handbook of South American Archaeology, Springer, New York, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-74907-5_39
* Cutright, Robyn E.; "Eating Empire in the Jequetepeque - A Local View of Chimú Expansion on the North Coast of Peru", ''[[Latin American Antiquity]]'', vol. 26, no. 1, 2015, pp. 64–86, https://doi.org/10.7183/1045-6635.26.1.64, Accessed 2022.

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Chimu}}

* [https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/07/sac.html Central and Southern Andes, 1000–1400] at [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]]
* [https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2018/golden-kingdoms Golden Kingdoms: Luxury & Legacy in the Ancient Americas] at [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]]
* [https://artgallery.yale.edu/art-ancient-americas Art of the Ancient Americas] at [[Yale University Art Gallery]]
* [http://carlos.emory.edu/collections/americas Americas] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190301200035/http://carlos.emory.edu/collections/americas |date=1 March 2019}} at [[Michael C. Carlos Museum]], [[Emory University]]
* [https://www.metmuseum.org/blogs/now-at-the-met/2016/design-for-eternity-thorny-oysters Thorny Oyster: The Daughters of the Sea] at [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]]
* [https://www.britannica.com/topic/Chimu Chimú], [[Encyclopædia Britannica]]
* [http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/chimu.htm Chimú gallery]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20190116172726/https://www.peabody.harvard.edu/node/619 Video of possible Quingam letter discussed above]

{{Pre-Columbian}}

[[Category:15th-century disestablishments in South America]]
[[Category:States and territories established in the 9th century]]
[[Category:Andean civilizations]]
[[Category:Former monarchies of South America]]
[[Category:9th-century establishments in South America]]
[[Category:1470s disestablishments]]
[[Category:Former empires in South America]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in 1470]]
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[[Category:Indigenous culture of the Americas]]
[[Category:Prehistory of Peru]]