Intact Chimu funerary platform with 38 burials found at Chan Chan

October 04, 2026PeruExcavationSignificant FindShare

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Key facts

• A remarkably intact walled funerary complex was excavated at Chan Chan, also called Chimor, the capital of the Chimu Empire and one of the largest pre-Columbian cities in South America
• The platform had a central tomb chamber reached by a staircase and flanked by two larger side chambers
• The central chamber held a single individual with shell and metal objects; one side chamber held weapons and metal objects, the other the remains of 20 people; 18 further burials elsewhere on the platform brought the total to 38
• One individual was buried fully extended rather than in the flexed position typical of Chimu burials, raising questions about that person's status or possible sacrifice
• Grave goods included metal ear ornaments, necklaces, headdresses, carved wooden boxes with metal appliques, and shell and quartz necklaces
• Traces of red pigment on several individuals' heads and on ceramic vessels support the identification of the burials as high-ranking members of Chimu society
• Fragile bones degraded by coastal humidity were documented with high-precision photogrammetry producing millimetre-level 3D models before removal
• The platform's unusual preservation matters because most other elite Chimu tombs were looted before discovery

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