Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-04-24
CHAN-CHAN, RUINED OLD
CHiMU CAPITAL, IN PERU

Chan-Chan. the ruined old capital Of
the Chimus. is not in China, nothwith-
standing that the name might suggest
such a location to the uninitiated. If the
Chimus ever lived in oriental lands our
archaeologists have failed to discover
the fact They were Americans. Just
a. were h Incas. whose traditions
traced bac an unbroken line of kings
for 1000 years before the Spanish con-
quest. and whose civilization is so much
better known to us: and once upon a
time these same Chimus were fcrmida-
peace, Of the Incas. They dwelt along
the shores of Peru. as did the Incas on
the high Andes. and like the Cartha-
gtnfans OF old. were a seafaring people.
Mystery abounds in pre-Columbian
America writes Walter Vernier in the
March issue of the monthly BULLETIN of
the Pan American Union. and the far
Their modern research p%enetrates into
the ancient civilizations Of Mexico.
Central America. III the west coast Of
South America. the more the mystery
Of their origin seems to deepen. Among
the problems presented to archaeology
and a~nthropology none, perhaps. is more
fascinating than that Of the Chimu reo-
pie of Peru. What we read of these
jewellers Of the north coast of the land.
mad famous by the Incas, is contained
In casual references by the early Span
ish chroniclers; what we see OF their
civilization consists Of ~stupendous ruins
near the modern tow of Trujillo."
The ruined temples and palace wallis
OF this ancient city. richly ornamented
IN bas-relief. the vast irrigation works.
the mounds containing the sepulchers
OF once powerful rulers, all indicate
that the ancient Chimus were worthy
rivals Of the children of the SUM- who
finally conquered them.
ThA 1nooo On fro l4ka1- $1,000 --
from the south to settle the region once
occupied by an ancient race Of CYCLIC
pean builders. The Chimus OF the
coast are said to have come from the
north on a flotilla Of RATS. and savants
are not agreed as to the time of their
invasion. Some think there is evidence
OF TWO earlier civilizations: others that
everything points to a relatively short
occupancy OF h valleys, extending
Over Only a few centuries prior to the
20vent OF the Spaniards. Racially the
Cnllmus. In common with nearly all the
Pacific coast peoples of South Ameri-
CO north OF Chile. present the charac-
OF the ancient and modern inhabitants
Of Central America and Yucatan. ut
terly distinct from the highland type
Of the Inca c~Onquerors.
BE That as 1t may, there are re-
Variable evidences Of the advanced
" Ills cASluCI race. Inc
HT1gations works. ~aQueducts, reservoirs
AND canal h ruins may still be
cen make 1t certain that tho en-
11neering skill of the Chimus was OF
the very highest order. The water was
brought down from the Muchi river.
which was tapped at q considerable
distance from the city. The aqueduct
p 80 feet high and from the top Of
M ridge overlooking the city one can
trace the plan by which the water was
distributed down the slope over the
city and the surrounding land. Every
where are canals and reservoirs
~lrF1gating fields and gardens, pro-
tected by q great wall which ran for
miles on the inland side Of the city.
i study Of these canals suggests q DIFF
f~erentiatton In irrigating land for
cotton and corn cultivation. The
long staple cotton Of Peru was ex-
tensively cultivated v q In this re-
mote period. and finely rover cloth,
dyed In gorgeous colors. was worn by
the wealthy Chimus.
In b art OF pottery they were IN
advance of sven the lncas, for all the
iYomarlAble work In clay that has beer
oxcavAted In Peru none . compare Il
9ktll1ul workmanship with that found
h Chan-ChAn. Some Of these eastern
Vo0Do10 representing human figures
Aoa6D and groups, wero portraits o!
OoatompoEAneous persons, aud the oh.
oogNee - struck with the forcefulneal
VIII Wh1chsthes varied expressions Of tn,
mo- = doplOted. Il II 1fom relic,
III 60 ~ theoo that We ct our knowl
olgo0e To i~ntellectGal, mogol and 70
lifoso1 theDe ancionk Chimua
- enlya nving tsaoe ny p foun!