Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [285]
Further on, the Second Ceremonial Courtyard also has a ramp to the second level. From behind this plaza, you can see a huge rectangular depression that was once a walk-in well supplying the daily water needs of the royal compound.
To the left is an area of several dozen small, crumbling cells that has been called the Military Sector. Perhaps soldiers lived here, or the cells may have been used for storage. Next is the Mausoleum, where a king was buried along with human sacrifices and ceremonial objects. To the left of the main tomb, a pyramid containing the bodies of dozens of young women was found.
The final area is the Assembly Room. This large rectangular room has 24 seats set into niches in the walls, and its amazing acoustic properties are such that speakers sitting in any one of the niches can be clearly heard all over the room.
MUSEO DE SITIO CHAN CHAN
The site museum contains exhibits explaining Chan Chan and the Chimú culture. It is on the main road, about 500m before the Chan Chan turnoff. The museum has a few signs in Spanish and English but a guide is still useful. A sound-and-light show plays in Spanish every 30 minutes. The aerial photos and maps showing the huge extension of Chan Chan are fascinating, as tourists can only visit a tiny portion of the site.
Huaca Esmeralda
Halfway between Trujillo and Chan Chan, this Chimú temple (admission free with Chan Chan ticket) is to the south of the main road, four blocks behind the Mansiche Church. Thieves reportedly prey on unwary tourists wandering around, so go with a large group or a guide and keep your eyes open.
Huaca Esmeralda was buried by sand and was accidentally discovered by a local landowner in 1923. He attempted to uncover the ruins, but El Niño of 1925 began the process of erosion, which was exacerbated by the floods and rains of 1983. Although little restoration work has been done on the adobe friezes, it is still possible to make out the characteristic Chimú designs of fish, seabirds, waves and fishing nets.
White-yellow-and-orange B combis to Huaca Esmeralda leave Trujillo every few minutes; they pass the corners of España and Ejército, and España and Industrial.
Huaca Arco Iris
Also known locally as Huaca del Dragón, Huaca Arco Iris (Rainbow Temple; admission free with Chan Chan ticket) is in the suburb of La Esperanza, about 4km northwest of Trujillo.
Dating from the 12th century, Huaca Arco Iris is one of the best preserved of the Chimú temples – simply because it was buried under sand until the 1960s. Its location was known to a handful of archaeologists and huaqueros (grave robbers), but excavation did not begin until 1963. Unfortunately, the 1983 El Niño caused damage to the friezes.
The huaca used to be painted, but these days only faint traces of yellow hues remain. It consists of a defensive wall more than 2m thick enclosing an area of about 3000 sq meters, which houses the temple itself. The building covers about 800 sq meters in two levels, with a combined height of about 7.5m. The walls are slightly pyramidal and covered with repeated rainbow designs, most of which have been restored. Ramps lead the visitor 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. This may have been a fertility temple since in many ancient cultures the rainbow represents rain, considered to be the bringer