Pre-Inca Archaeological Sites

Trujillo is best known for its harmonious colonial-era architecture but not far from the city limits in the surrounding desert region are vestiges of much older area inhabitants: the pre-Inca Moche and Chimú people.

The biggest and perhaps the most significant among these is Chan Chan, which was, during its heyday, the largest city in the Americas and the largest adobe city on Earth. The ancient city, which contained approximately 10,000 structures all stitched together by a network of streets and passageways, was home to more than 100,000 Chimú people and was active from the mid-9th century until the mid-15th century.

Back in its prime, Chan Chan was gloriously wealthy and the only thing it lacked for was water. Still, the Chimú civilization compensated for this with innovative hydraulic engineering. These days Chan Chan faces the opposite problem: too much water. Climate change has led to an increased level of rain in the region, which threatens the adobe structures.

Predating even Chan Chan by several centuries are the Temples of Moche: the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Moon. Also built from adobe bricks, these pyramid-like structures were constructed by the Moche people, who lived in the region from the 1st to the 9th century. The Temple of the Sun is the larger of the two, standing just over 140 feet tall. It is thought that the smaller of the two, the Temple of the Moon, was used for religious and ceremonial purposes as frescos depicting the Moche god adorn the wall.

Another worthwhile stop-off on an archaeological pilgrimage of the region is the Temple of the Dragon, another Chimú site. The highlight here is the intricate decorative friezes adorning the outside, which feature mythological scenes, rainbows and the dragons after which the temple is named.

Private tours to Peru’s pre-Inca ruins are one of the best way to get acquainted with the fascinating early civilizations.  Contact us today and get your free Peru trip quote.  At Kuoda Travel, all trips are custom and personally designed for you by one of our professional travel experts.