Stirrup Spout Vessel with Relief Depicting a Mythic Hunting Scene

The Chimu were a civilization that flourished in the coastal region of present-day Peru from about 900 AD until the end of the 15th century. It was a pre-Columbian civilization that preceded the Inca Empire. They were known for their impressive urban planning and engineering skills. They built large adobe cities such as Chan Chan, which was the largest adobe city in the world and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They also built an extensive network of irrigation canals and water management systems that allowed them to grow crops in the arid coastal region. The Chimu had a complex social hierarchy with a powerful ruling class that controlled the resources and labor of the lower classes. They were skilled metallurgists, producing intricate gold and silver objects used in religious ceremonies and as status symbols. The civilization was conquered by the Inca Empire at the end of the fifteenth century, and much of their culture and knowledge was assimilated by the Incas. Today, the legacy of the Chimu can still be seen in the impressive archaeological sites that dot Peru's coast.

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