A pre-Columbian civilization of South America that flourished on the northern coast of Peru, known for sophisticated pottery and metalwork before Inca conquest.
From Quechua and local Peruvian languages, 'Chimu' was the name of this advanced coastal empire that existed approximately 1000-1470 CE. The word is a proper noun referring to both the civilization and its people.
The Chimu were incredible engineers—they created vast irrigation systems and built Chan Chan, a sprawling adobe metropolis that rivals any ancient city, yet they're far less famous than the Inca who conquered them.
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