Peruvian Dragons

Among the many fearsome creatures in South American myth, there also are dragons! I hadn’t realized before, but apparently dragons were a frequent artistic motif in temples of the Chimu people. The Chimu were an important culture in what is now Peru. The civilization reached its peak in the 15th century. Later they fell under dominion of the Inca Empire.

Chimu ruins are some of the most extensive human habitations in South America, and indeed the world. Because they were built of adobe, they are badly deteriorated today, but the scope is still impressive.

Dragon images have survived at a few Chimu sites, including temples near Trujillo. The Dragon Temple is so named because of a carved relief showing two dragons, face to face, beneath the arched body of a rainbow-like serpent with a head on each end. The photos I can find are proprietary, but you can see them here.

Because of the rainbows, it appears the Chimu dragons may be similar to Asian ones in their association with rain and fertility. I look forward to more research on these ancient dragons.