Peru

Pre-hispanic history

The first evidence of civilisation was around 100 AD when the Moche ruled a large region of northern Peru. They had built canals to irrigate barren areas and must have been quite successful because they were in power for 700 years. Lasting memorials of their influence include the large temple of Huaca del Sol near Trujillo. It is claimed that some kind of weather event, like an El Nino, destroyed all their investment in their agriculture. However this can`t be fully proven.

In 900 AD the Chimu replaced the earlier Moche civilisation and built more canals for irrigation on an unprecedented scale. They inhabited the narrow strip of relatively flat desert territory between the Andes and the Pacific in northern Peru. However the many rivers flowing down from the Andes produced the potential for good agriculture if they could be harnessed. Over many years with the work of thousands of engineers they transported fertile soil from the rich soil at the forest edge to the more desert like regions. They constructed canals with winding paths to slow down the water for better irrigation. By 1300 they had enlarged the fertile lands from 4 sq. miles to 340 sq. miles. However the area was still susceptible to calamitous weather events. There is evidence that the Chimu elite used mass sacrifice of children of 10-14 years old to try to appease the gods. Excavations show young bodies with their sternum cut open and hearts removed. The children appeared to have been healthy kids, and possibly their sacrifice enhanced the status of the parents in society. There is also evidence that around the mid 1300s there had been too much rain - there were more clay layers in the soil strata. Meteorologists speculate that El Niño could have brought floods, plagues of insects and plague, and great damage had been done to the canal systems. Ultimately the Chimu appeared to have abandoned their attempts to maintain their irrigation systems, and turned to dominating neighbouring areas. One area they had invaded was Tucumé in La Leche valley. They accomplished the take over without using mass violence but by treating the communities well and protecting the incumbent elites. Trading in precious metals brought wealth back to Chan Chan the main city of the epoch. This walled city had been constructed over 5 centuries and contained 10 sumptuous palaces for the monarchy and family. The adobe material from which the city was made has proved to be highly resilient over the centuries and has been preserved until modern times. Various re­constructions have taken place recently so that the full magnificence of the original can be enjoyed by the thousands of tourists who visit the site each year.  Skilled artisans lived outside the walls in small thatched buildings and produced thousands of items in ceramics and precious metals for the elite. They were given land and well paid for their efforts and typically were given the precious metals to work on. The precious items were stored by the elite in `audienciés`, where great wealth was accumulated, a bit like modern day banks. One thing was valued even more than gold¸ and that was Spondylus, red brightly covered oyster shells, which were regarded as gifts from the sea goddess. These were extremely difficult to recover from the bottom of the seabed and so were highly desired.
It`s fair to say that the elite lived like gods, and when they died the funerals were very elaborate. In 1995 a whole procession of wooden figurines(maquetas) were excavated. It appears that human sacrifice was made during this process, because some of the figurines had their hands tied behind their backs. The next monarch did not automatically inherit the deceased king`s wealth, but had to establish their own palace. This explains the extra pressure to dominate other regions and therefore build greater wealth.