essay

The Chimú empire in a regional perspective: cultural antecedents and continuities

chan chan: andean desert cityAlbuquerquePublished In 2010 • Pages: 197-224

By: Keatinge, Richard W..

AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
This is a description of administrative centers found in the Moche Valley and their importance to the Chimu socioeconomic system. Two sites, Farfán and Pacatnamú, were surveyed and mapped. Farfán has several compounds similar to ones found at Chan Chan, one with a burial platform, storerooms, and [i]audiencias[/i]—indications it was an imperial administrative center in the newly conquered territory of Jequetepeque. It is proposed that Farfán was an outpost founded by a legendary Chimu general named Pacatnamú. The site known as Pacatnamú, which incorporates the Moche-Chimu transition, is compared to the central coast pilgrimage site of Pachacamac. [i]Audiencias[/i] are interpreted as fulfilling different purposes in different areas; at Pacatnamú the purpose might have been religious and, analogous to Mesopotamian examples, Chimu temple structures also could have served as storehouses and administrative centers.
SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
Miscellaneous facilities
Public structures
Religious and educational structures
Cultural participation
Archaeological survey methods
Dependencies
Sacred objects and places
Ritual
traditionCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)
Chimu
HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document
2015
RegionThe area the document pertains to
South America
Sub RegionThe more specific area the document pertains to, which is located within the Region
Central Andes
Document TypeMay include journal articles, essays, collections of essays, monographs, or chapters/parts of monographs
essay
Evaluation
Creator TypeThe type of person writing the document, e.g. Ethnographer, Missionary, Archaeologist, Folklorist, Linguist, Indigenous Person, and so on.
Archaeologist
Document Rating A ranking done by HRAF anthropologists based on the strength of the source material on a scale of 1 to 5, as follows: 1 - poor; 2 - fair; 3 - good, useful data, but not uniformly excellent; 4 - excellent secondary data; 5 - excellent primary data.
4: Excellent Secondary Data
5: Excellent Primary Data
AnalystThe HRAF anthropologist who subject indexed the document and prepared other materials for the eHRAF culture/tradition collection
Sarah Berry; 2014
Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document
1974
Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
1800-524 BP (AD 200-1476)
Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
north-central coastal La Libertad region (Moche and Jequetepeque valleys), Peru
NotesAdditional notes
Richard W. Keatinge
For bibliographical references see document 18:[Moseley and Day] (2010, References)
Reprint of 1982 copy
LCCNLibrary of Congress Control Number
80054567
LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
Chanchán (Peru)