Chimu, Labyrinths of a sacred costume
Detail of one of the woven volumes that decorated the Chimu costume’s skirt
Chronology of the costume
The costume underwent numerous investigations to document it, understand the technologies employed in its preparation, and discover the context of its usage. The crucial method was radiocarbon analysis, applying Carbon 14 to a tiny fragment of thread from a fringe of the tunic. The piece was dated between AD 1320 and 1440. These dates coincide with the final epoch of Chimú development, just before the Empire was conquered by the Inkas.