The Chimú civilisation (1000-1450 A.D.)

This culture rose on the northern coast, slowly subduing cities and populations (except the Chancay culture), up to its heydey in the mid-13th century. It restores and enlarges the network of old Mochica ducts. Its capital, Chan Chan, covers over 20 square km. The walls are decorated with bas-reliefs of geometrical and animal mould motifs. Even more significant than pottery, Chimú jewellery uses already established techniques (welding, alloys, lost-wax casting, filigree), but with an unparalleled variety of forms. Also, mass production is introduced for economic and social reasons, paralleled by the standardisation of shapes and decorations.
The main feature of the Chimú ceramic is the colour black, due to the systematic baking short of oxygen. The most common form is the stirrup globular vase, inherited by the Moche. Also typical are double whistling pots, vases printed in the round depicting animals, people and fruits, and newly introduced plastic figurines between handle and neck.
Around 1463, the Chimú are absorbed by the Inca empire, with new forms such as the arybalos (black-coloured and smaller than the Inca) in the style called Chimú-Inca.