Minneapolis Institute of Art

Hand with Mirror

Chimú artist

Date

1100

Medium

Wood, metal

Culture

Chimu

Department

Arts of the Americas

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

The Kingdom of Chimor dominated the north coast of Peru from about 900. The massive capital city Chan Chan, comprised of more than 10, 000 adobe structures, was the largest city in the ancient Americas with 60, 000 inhabitants at its height. The grandeur of Chimu architecture was complemented by the intimacy of personal prestige objects like this naturalistically carved wooden mirror. The craftsmanship of Chimu artists was so highly regarded that, after their conquest by the Inka in 1470, the most skilled were sent to the new capital of Qosqo (Cuzco) to work for the Inka elite.

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