The Archaeological Park of Chan Chan. Studies and projects

Chan Chan represents the material and immaterial synthesis of ten thousand years of autonomous evolution of the pre- Colombian cultures in northern Peru. The Italian Mission of CNR - ITABC (Institute for Technologies Applied to Cultural Heritage) is operating in Chan Chan since 2002 on behalf of an agreement of collaboration with the Peruvian Ministry of Culture. The project is directed to the planning of the Archaeological Park of Chan Chan , the realization of its Documentation and Managing Centre and to the valorisation of the principal architectural elements of the complex. The main object of the program is supporting the socio-economic growth of Chan Chan's territory through the development of handicraft and tourism. The study is carried out using satellite images with different sensors, registering the territorial data in a specific GIS, providing the survey of the architectural structures with GPS and photogrammetric instruments for the realization of virtual and multimedia visits of the complex. Palacio Rivero, the most recent and smallest of the ciudadelas, was chosen for the experimentation of new photogrammetric techniques that could provide rapid acquisition of data and a faithful reproduction of reality. On the base of a topographic net, terrestrial photogrammetry was used for the survey of the perimetral walls (11 m. of height) and aerial photogrammetry (gas balloon) for the survey of the first sector of the palace. The virtual reconstruction of Palacio Rivero together with the one of the principal architectural elements of the complex (huacas, huachaques, ciudadelas etc) will provide multimedia videos to be shown in a specific hall in the managing centre of the park.