The southern frontier of the Chimu empire

Mackey, Carol J.; Klymyshyn, Alexandra M. Ulana

essay

The southern frontier of the Chimu empire

northern dynasties : kingship and statecraft in chimor: a symposium at dumbarton oaks, 12th and 13th october 1985 • Washington, D.C. • Published In 1990 • Pages: 195-226

By: Mackey, Carol J., Klymyshyn, Alexandra M. Ulana.

Abstract
Data from survey and excavations in the Casma Valley provide evidence of the Chimu Empire’s expansion south of the Santa Valley. This is compared with the northern territorial expansion to shed light on the "general principles of Chimu policies of expansion and administration" (page 195). The discussion includes evidence for settlement patterns, settlement hierarchy, the chronology of Chimu occupation (especially at Manchan), actual occupation and not just influence, employment of indigenous nobility for governing conquered territory, ranking of the indigenous nobility compared to those at the Moche Valley capital of Chan Chan, and the economic centralization of the empire there—including the amount of labor involved to build the city, its storage capacity, and the quality and variety of craft production there. It is proposed that lower level administrative centers were situated for management of irrigation canals and agricultural fields. Although it has been claimed that the empire extended from Tumbes to just north of Lima, consolidation appears to have taken place only from the Lambayeque region in the north to the Casma Valley in the south, where administrative centers can be found.

Identification

Location

Acculturation and culture contact

Territorial hierarchy

Provinces

Classes

Ethnic stratification

Production and supply

Cultural participation

Chimu

HRAF PubDate

2015