“The face is flat, oval, painted in red. The almond-shaped eyes and round ears show irregularities where the black resin used to attach the mother-of-pearl plates remains.'
© Wolfgang Sauber
Archaeologists have found a beautifully preserved sculpture of Chimu at the Chan Chan archaeological complex in Peru, a region that was sporadically inhabited between 600 AD. e. and before the colonial period, writes The Art Newspaper.
The statue was found during an ongoing project to preserve Huaka Takainamo, a pyramidal structure in an ancient complex that archaeologists believe was used primarily for ceremonial and funerary purposes.
The 47 cm tall statue dates to the early Chimu period (900-1470 CE) and is between 850 and 1500 years old, making it one of the oldest sculptures discovered in the region.
< p>“The sculpture, in perfect condition, has a cap with a trapezoidal cut [and] a decoration of seven vertical stripes of light and dark colors,” according to a report published by Peru's Ministry of Culture.
“The face is flat, oval, painted in red. The nose, with a straight profile, stands out from the plane of the face. The almond-shaped eyes and round ears show irregularities where the black resin used to attach the mother-of-pearl plates has been preserved. /p>
The Chan-Chan archaeological site is located in the La Esperanza district of Trujillo, on the northern coast of Peru. Like the discovered statue, the Huaka Takainamo complex is surrounded by well-preserved polychrome painting.
The sculpture was discovered alongside nectarine seeds, which were associated with ritual human sacrifice in the Chimu culture and are believed to has psychotropic properties. Under the statue was a small black bag decorated with brown and white threads. According to the director of the local project for the preservation of monuments, Cesar Gálvez Mor, the find confirms “the ceremonial function [of Huaca Takainamo] in Chan Chan”. in sacrifice.
