Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Chimú reliefs on Huaca Arco Iris, Chan Chan
DEA / G. DAGLI ORTI/GETTY IMAGES ©
The
huaca
(tomb) used to be painted, but these days only faint traces of its yellow hues
remain. It consists of a defensive wall more than 2m thick enclosing an area of about
3000m square, which houses the temple itself. The walls are slightly pyramidal and
covered with repeating rainbow designs, most of which have been restored. A ramp leads
to the very top of the temple, from where a series of large bins, found to contain the bones
of infants - possibly human sacrifices - can be seen.
There is a tiny on-site
museum
, and local guides are available to show you around.
