 |
|
 |
The
Barrios: Life and Work Outside of the Palace
Crowded on the
fringes of the royal palace, the artisans of Chan Chan lived and
worked in much more modest quarters, known as barrios.
With an estimated 10,000 barrios, Chan Chan may have had a peak
population of 50,000. The barrio, archaeologists have concluded,
was the seat of small-scale production, occupied by skilled artisans.
Most of the empire's crafts were produced in the barrios of Chan
Chan.
The surviving evidence suggests that within each barrio, the artisans
were housed in thatched-roofed, simple dwellings made of adobe,
cane and reeds. They lived in single family units containing family
kitchens and storage spaces. Most houses seem to have been equipped
for both metalworking and the production of textiles, as archaeologists
have found copper slag and several metalworking tools of stone,
as well as raw cotton, pieces of thread, and copper needles and
spindles. Specialists passed on their craft from one generation
to the next through
apprenticeships.
From dried seeds and other fragments of food left behind, archaeologists
have been able to determine that the daily diet of the barrio
dwellers included corn, squash, sweet potatoes, lima beans, chili
peppers, as well as many other kinds of foods. Fish also was an
important aspect of their diet and economy, as the people of Chimu
relied heavily on the sea. In the barrios, archaeologists discovered
copper hooks, fragments of fishnet, and gourd floats. |
 |
In fact, one
of the most striking characteristics of Chan Chan is its dedication
to the sea. The Chimu worshipped the sea, an important
deity
known as Ni,and carved symbols of the sea into the walls
of their city. Many of the city's friezes depict the patterns
of fishnet, the current and the tides as well as the forms of
marine animals such as fish, pelicans and crabs. This recurrent
marine theme within the city represents the important role that
the sea played in the everyday lives of the people of Chan Chan.
The fisherman, along with farmers and other peasants, however,
lived outside of the city, socially segregated from the barrio
dwellers. They lived in shore settlements near the coast or in
villages near the fields. These peasants had fewer privileges
than the barrio dwellers, and were forced to pay the MITA, a labor
tribute, by building Chan Chan's palaces.
|
Photo
credits:
(top to bottom)
1. Charles & Josette Lenars/CORBIS
2. Fubomichi Kudo/UNESCO
|
