
Late Intermediate Period Cultures
'Chimor' (also Kingdom of Chimor) was the political grouping of the
Chimú culture that ruled the northern coast of Peru, beginning around 850 AD and ending around 1470 AD. Chimor was the largest kingdom in the
Late Intermediate period, encompassing 1000 km of coastline and including up to 2/3 of the people of the
Andes. The greatest surviving ruin of this civilization is the mud city of
Chan Chan.
The Chimú grew out of the remnants of the
Moche culture. The first valleys seem to have joined forces willingly, but
Sican was acquired through conquest. They also were significantly influenced by the
Cajamarca culture and the
Huari. According to legend the capital 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. But the Inca conquest was begun in the 1470s by
Tupac Inca and was nearly complete when
Huayna Capac assumed the throne in 1493 AD.
Their ceramics are all black. They are also known for their exquisite and intricate metal-working.
References
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Chimor outline