Lambayeque Culture and the Gold Museum

The Lambayeque culture -- a north coastal desert culture -- was not an empire like the previously posted Moche and Chimu, but was a regional culture situated by the Lambayeque and La Leche rivers. The culture thrived from about 750 CE to 1375 CE and is thought to have been an outgrowth of the declining Moche empire.  Eventually, the Lambayeque culture was subsumed by the Chimu Empire. The culture is notable because of the concentration of mud brick pyramids that were built and the remarkable metal work that was achieved.  The culture is often referred do as the Sican because an early archeologist believed that Sican meant "temple of the moon" in the local language.

The above map shows the "sights" around Chiclayo.  The Royal Tombs in the city of Lambayeque and the site museum and dig at Huaca Rajada (18.5 miles from Chiclayo to Sipan) have been reported on earlier postings. 

The site of Tucume is 22 miles north of Chiclayo.

The above model shows the Tucume site covering around 540 acres. The site of Tucume has an interesting genesis. It is thought that around 1020 CE a thirty-year drought began, devastating the society.  Growing resentment against the priesthood and the religious leaders for their ineffectiveness in negotiations with the gods caused the temples to be burned and abandoned about 1050 to 1100.  These early temples were then further demolished by El Nino flooding around 1100. 

Subsequently, the site at nearby Tucume was chosen for new temples and over the next 250 years some 26 major pyramids and enclosures were built.

The above map shows the location of Tucume with respect to the Historic Pomac Forests Sanctuary which is where the early Lambayeque culture thrived prior to the "uprising".  The archeological sites in the sanctuary have been well worked over by looters and early archeologists. The sanctuary also gives protection to an equatorial dry forest.

In the open air site museum at Tucume is this model of the "Long Temple."  The model of the temple shows an impressive complex.

Here we see a model of a small temple that is known as the Temple of the Sacred Stone.

Here is a display about the first temple that is located next to the site of the museum.  One difference in wall construction between the Moche and Chimu is the usage of bricks on the exterior of the walls and then the usage of fill in the interior.

As we walked to observe the temple pyramids, we saw Huaca 1 (the first temple) - but we could not directly observe the excavations as work was currently in progress.

After leaving the museum (on a very warm day), we could see the Long Temple as we approached.

 

Detour - no access to the Long Temple or the Temple of the Sacred Stone.  Work apparently in progress.

 Catching the breeze on top of Purgatory Hill.

We scaled Purgatory Hill and here was the long view of the long temple.  Note the pyramid in the distance which belonged to the earlier Lambayeque cuture (prior to the "uprising").

Another view of the some 26 complexes on the Tucume site. Of course, much has eroded over the centuries.

 A display showing how some of the decorated walls would have looked.

A statue of Naylamp (note the wings). The legend of Naylamp is based on the chronicles of the Spaniard Miguel Cabello de Balboa (1535-1608) about the origin of the Lambayeque culture as told to him by the people of that time.  This legend is thought to have been assimilated by the Chimu when the Chimu advanced their empire.

The legend maintains that people on rafts led by Naylamp landed on the Pacific coast after being aided by the Moon and Sea gods.  The people settled in Lambayeque and prospered, except Naylamp was reported to be sad because he would have to leave, and one day he could not be found. His followers sang and played music with the conch shells to call him to return.  Some reported that during the night Naylamp had flown into the sky with giant wings and had been seen flying to the moon with other birds.  When conch shells are played, people are calling for Naylamp to return.

This legend is said to be the genesis of Thor Heyerdahl’s trip with the raft Kon-Tiki from South America to Polynesia (a trip across the Pacific of 4950 miles).

Subsequently, we visited the Gold Museum in Lima and our observation was that most of the metal artifacts were from the Lambayeque culture (along with the gold museum there is a separate musuem on weaponry - which was quite interesting).  Below are some pics of the metal working prowess of the Lambayeque culture (pictures not allowed in the museum).

A picture taken off the web showing an artifact in the Metropolitan Museum of NYC. This funerary mask shows red paint (cinnebar) with gold gilding (a Lambayeque innovation) over copper.  The eyes are enhanced with needle like appendages apparently to show the expressive nature of eyes. Also note the unique shape of each eye.

Another picture taken off the web showing holdings of the Metropolitan museum.  Again note the eye shape.

 Picture of a post card of an artifact in the Museo del Oro.

Picture of a post card of golden hands displayed at the Museo del Oro.

Picture taken from the Spanish Wikipedia showing a ceremonial knife where the figure forming the handle holds a similar knife.

Another face mask that has distinctive eye shapes and ear decorations. Picture taken from the Spanish Wikipedia.

Our visits described above have reinforced several things we have heard during our visit to Peru.  The country of Peru is one big archeological site, and northern Peru is "metal" and southern Peru coast is "textiles."   It's all enjoyable!