Chan Chán

Chan Chán is the main tourist attraction in the Trujillo and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. Chan Chán in its entirety consists of nine governor’s palaces and 35 intermediary complexes, in addition to dwellings and temples, such as the Huaca Arco Iris and the Huaca Esmeralda, and it is the largest adobe city in the world. However, the name Chan Chán is generally used to refer to the Tschudi Citadel, which is the best preserved, and most reconstructed, of the various governors’ palaces. The whole city was enormous, covering almost 28 square kilometres, and was home to 35,000 people at its height. There are even theories that the city may have occupied up to 200 square kilometres, and a large Chimú wall is visible on the outskirts of Trujillo. However, when the Spanish arrived in the 16th century Chan Chán was already virtually abandoned. The Chimús strongly resisted conquest by the Incas, and it took over 10 years before the Incas were finally able to defeat them. As punishment for their resistance, the Chimú leaders were taken to Cusco and the population of the city was dispersed, mostly to the city of Chicitoy, built by the Incas.

Chan Chán was the capital of the Chimú Empire and was built between the 9th and 15th centuries. Each governor of Chan Chán built a new complex upon taking charge, and the palace of the previous ruler was left abandoned. Therefore, although there were nine palaces in total by the end, only one at a time was ever occupied. The Tschudi Citadel, one of these palaces, occupies 130,000 square metres and is surrounded by a 13m-high perimeter wall. Entering the citadel, there is a huge open plaza with some friezes decorating the walls. This was used for public ceremonies, possibly including sacrifices. The plaza and friezes have been almost completely reconstructed. Other public sections of the complex include a large administrative centre, which was used for the production of textiles and jewellery, as well as the administration of agriculture and fishing. This includes many impressive friezes, including some fine fishing motifs. This frieze includes some unrestored images, although the wall has been completed with modern restorations. The Chimú people were great fishermen, and it is thought that the fish swimming in opposite directions refer to different sea currents in the area. There are many diamond-shaped decorations in this section, which are thought to represent fishing nets, again demonstrating the importance of the sea in the life of the Chimú people.

Passing the administrative centre, another open plaza is reached. However, this was not a public plaza, and was part of the governor’s residence. Although many people worked in the public sector of the citadel, they all lived in houses outside of the complex. Only the governor and his entourage actually lived inside the palace. The form of architecture changes in the private sector of the citadel, and the friezes and motifs disappear. Indeed, the private plaza has no decorations, unlike the public plaza at the entrance to the complex. There is a giant pool near the plaza, which was probably used to supply water to the complex and possibly to other parts of the city. The pool may also have been used for ceremonial purposes, as the ramp into the pool goes round the walls rather than straight down. There is a burial mound behind the pool, which was used by the ruler people close to him.

The other governors’ palaces are similar in structure, and consist of many of the same aspects. However, they are not very well conserved and they can be dangerous to wander round as muggers often lurk in these ruins.

The Site Museum, on the main road between Trujillo and Huanchaco, is near the entrance to Chan Chán. This includes some ceramics and information on the construction techniques employed by the Chimú people. There is also a giant model of the city of Chan Chán, with a sound and light show and an interesting and informative narrated history of the site. This is normally in Spanish, although if you ask they may play it in English.

Huaca Arco Iris (Huaca El Dragón) and Huaca Esmeralda

The Huaca Arco Iris is a religious temple dating from the early Chimú period around 850-900AD. It was part of the city of Chan Chán, although separate from any of the governors’ palaces. The temple was originally painted bright yellow and it is said that when the Spanish sailed past the coastline they saw its golden walls from the sea. The temple has some beautiful friezes of Chimú gods, with strong links to the Moche culture. Many of these look like dragons, hence the alternative name of the temple. Although many of the friezes have been reconstructed, there are a few which are in their original state.

This is another temple in the Chan Chán complex dating from about 1300AD. Huaca Esmeralda actually consists of two temples, one built in front of the other, and there are friezes depicting the fisher king.

Huaca de la Luna and Huaca del Sol

The Moche culture developed around 100BC, and the Moche valley was the main capital of the culture until the 6th century AD, when a severe drought led to famines and the abandonment of the area. In the intervening period, however, the area developed into a magnificent centre, with two important temples. Although the site was used after its abandonment, as indicated by Chimú remains that have been found, its importance was minor. The abandonment of the area coincides with a major societal shift in the Moche culture, which can be seen by changes in architecture. Prior to the drought, the most important buildings in a centre were the religious and ceremonial temples. However, in later centres, administrative buildings and governmental palaces are more important. It is possible that the perceived abandonment by the gods in letting the population suffer led to people losing faith in the power of these gods.

The Huaca del Sol was one of the largest single adobe structure ever built, and 142 million mud bricks went into its construction. It measured 360m long by 180m wide, and was over 50m high. Unfortunately, the remains are not in very good condition, partially due to the effects of the weather over the centuries, but mainly due to the efforts of the conquistadors. In their search for gold, the Spaniards diverted the Moche River, washing away the majority of the temple. Today, only 30% of the structure remains. Very little investigation has been done on the Huaca del Sol and there is little to see besides the actual structure.

500m from the Huaca del Sol is the smaller Huaca de la Luna, which measures 96m by 96m, and is 25m high. This consists of a series of platforms with ceremonial complexes at each level. Investigation of the temple indicates that the structure was begun by the Virú culture prior to the Moches, as the adobe bricks at the base of the temple are of a Virú type, although the temple’s importance dates from the Moche period. There were five different phases in the construction of the temple, in which each stage resulted in the old temple being covered by the new construction, increasing its size. It is not known exactly why each new phase was built, although it is speculated that each new governor built over the previous governor’s construction. Alternate theories say that it might have been due to earthquakes damaging the structure.

Although it is hard to imagine now, looking at the dry mud, the whole temple was once painted in vivid colours. It is the remains of some of these paintings that make the Huaca de la Luna a fascinating attraction. The covering of prior phases of construction with new bricks has led to the preservation of many of the paintings that used to decorate the exterior of the temple. Many of these are of Ayapayec, ‘the beheading god’, who was the main Moche deity. The remarkably well-preserved bas reliefs, in vivid reds, yellows and blacks, depict the god, often holding a severed head and ceremonial knife. It is likely that temple was used for sacrifices, and human remains have been discovered at the site.

In between the Huaca del Sol and the Huaca de la Luna, remains of dwellings of the Moche people have been found. It is likely that these inhabitants dedicated themselves to the production of ceramics and of chicha, the ceremonially important fermented maize drink.

Huaca El Brujo

The most interesting attraction at El Brujo is the Huaca Cao, a Moche temple dating from 100AD-700AD. This was the most important Moche temple in the Chicama Valley, and consisted of seven superimposed structures, the final one giving a base of almost 100m by 100m. As with Huaca de la Luna, each phase of construction was decorated with fine friezes and bas reliefs painted in vivid colours. Although the temple has only been partially excavated, and work is expected to continue for the foreseeable future, many wonderful friezes can be seen. These all correspond to the 4th phase of construction, and are far more elaborate than those found at Huaca de la Luna. There are scenes of naked prisoners being led by warriors – possibly to their sacrifice. There is also an intricate frieze of various symbols, such as the moon, fish and nets, indicating the importance of the sea in the lives of the Moche people. There are paintings of babies being sacrificed, and of dancers with feet sticking out from the wall, with a real human heel bone used to support the protruding foot. In addition, more recent excavations have revealed paintings of Ayapayec, ‘the beheading god’ also found at Huaca de la Luna. In 2005, a burial was discovered at Huaca El Brujo. This was of an important Moche female, possibly a leader or a warrior, who has been given the name of the ‘Lady of Cao’.

Other archaeological sites

There are many archaeological sites around Trujillo. However, there are fewer sites that have been excavated and present much of interest for the tourist. Sites such as Virú or Huaca Los Reyes, although important archaeologically, are fairly uninteresting for travellers. More interesting is the Chicitoy Valley, which is home to over 100 Moche temples, most of which are in a rather poor state of conservation. The Huaca de Campanilla, near the town of Chicitoy, dates from the late Moche period and is one of the better-preserved huacas. It is also known as the Huaca de Ventanas due to the holes made by Spaniards looking for treasure. Although the Chicitoy Valley is now arid, there are plans to bring water from other valleys to permit agriculture. This would simply be repeating an act of the Moches, who irrigated the whole valley by using canals that brought water from the Moche Valley. Remains of the canals can be seen near the Huaca de Campanilla.

The most interesting site in the Chicitoy Valley is Chicitoy Viejo. This dates from the Chimú-Inca period, and was the city to which the population of Chan Chán was transferred after the Inca conquest. The ruins are in quite a poor state of conservation, although plazas, depots and residences can be made out. There are clear signs of the influence of the Incas in the architecture, such as the trapezoidal windows and the lack of an administrative centre.

Huanchaco

Huanchaco is a small town on the coast with a nice beach, about 15 minutes from Trujillo. The main attraction of the town is watching the fishermen go out to sea on their traditional caballitos de totora. These are reed boats on which the fishermen sit, legs astride, as they paddle through the surf. It is possible to hire a caballito and have a paddle yourself, although this is not easy. The sea is rather cold outside of summer, and may be polluted. It is also possible to surf in Huanchaco. There are a few souvenir stalls near the pier selling model caballitos de totora.