Fully preserved Chimú statue found in Chan Chan, Peru

CAIRO – 7 July 2022: A statue of an interesting wooden figure was found in a ceremonial center near Chan Chan, Trujillo, northern Peru.

The well-preserved woodcarving art form and style dates back to between 850 and 1,500 years ago, from the early Chimú culture period, which was a flourishing pre-Hispanic civilization, whose capital is called Chan Chan.

Chan Chan, meaning "sun", was the largest city in the Americas before it was conquered by the Spanish and incorporated into the Inca Empire in 1470 AD, after the conquests of Pizarro and the founding of the neighboring Spanish city of Trujillo in 1535. Chan Chan was famous for its great fortunes and was repeatedly looted by the Spaniards.

It is worth mentioning that the figure is decorated with seven vertical light and dark stripes. It has a flat, oval red face and nose, and almond-shaped eyes. This statue was decorated with sheets of mother-of-pearl fixed with black resin glue.

Also, the figure wears a triangular mini-skirt decorated with small rectangular ribbons, matching the lines and design on the hat.