Chan Chan, from Huaca to Huachaque: sources for the study of the Chimu ancient capital

Abstract

This scientific initiation project aims to gather and synthesize the head studies about the ancient city of Chan Chan, capital of the Chimu Empire, on present-day Peruvian's north coast. The city started to grow during the 9th century of our era, reaching its maximum extent in the early 14th century. It was an extremely influential and rich urban center, whose power, expressed by its architecture and material production, still impresses us at present. This study will do a general historic and historiographic trace, going through the first authors that approached the subject (examples: Max Uhle and Mariano Rivero), also the site major's research projects, such as the Chan Chan Moche Valley Project (1969-1975) and the Proyecto Especial Complejo Arqueológico de Chan Chan (2006), with its researchers: Alan Kolata, Carol Mackey, John Topic, Kent Day, Michael Moseley, inter alia, together with other names that are currently emerging, including Luis Guillermo Lumbreras, Monica Leyría and Cristóbal Campana. Thereby, with a theoretical-methodological background centered on decolonial historiography, this project will seek to synthesize and offer an easy-comprehension and updated material about these central researchers, how they addressed the topic, and the dialogue between them; looking for ease any future research. This work intends to collaborate with the Abya-Yala FAU: Desafio Decolonial e Culturas Ameríndias na História da Arte, da Arquitetura e do Território of the Projeto Jovem Pesquisador Barroco Cifrado (2015/23222-4) study group, and continued trough the Projeto JP 2 Barroco-Açu (2021/06538-9), both coordinated by Prof. Dr. Renata Maria de Almeida Martins at FAU USP, advisor of this Scientific Initiation Project.(AU)