The Legend of Naylamp: the origin of Northern civilization

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Since time immemorial, in Mexico as in Peru, there exist stories of travelers who arrived from a distant land to a village which would become the capital of a very advanced civilization. One such story is the Legend of Naylamp, a very important character from the coast of Lambayeque. It is said that he taught the Mochicas the arts that would help their civilization rise to become one of the most powerful since the arrival of the Incas.

Historians have studied three different theories, based on similiarities of Moche architecture and culture with other regions of the world.

The first version concerns the story of a traveler who went all the way to Indochina from Peru, and got lost in a storm. The second concerns a possible Mayan origin – the most accepted version – and the third, that he came from the island of Puná near the Peruvian coast.

Historian José Kimmich, who studied the origin of the Chimú culture, published a study in 1917 affirming the similiarities between the northern civilization and the archaic civilization of Indochina. In addition, he suggested several linguistic, architectural, and physiological similarities between the northern Indians and the peoples of Southeast Asia. His main support is the fact that ten centuries ago, the Chinese navigated the seas and during a bout of bad weather, they could have arrived in California and followed the coastline to Peru.

However, there is no official evidence comparable the Mochico and Mayan engravings, according to the German archeologist Clement Marham. He theorizes that Naylamp arrived in Peru by way of the El Niño current in search of refuge from some disaster that would have occurred in the Mayan Empire in those times. Naylamp brought pieces of ceramic pottery and dedicated himself to teaching the Moches the techniques for which they have become become famous. In addition, the names of some cities and people resemble the Maya and Mahua languages.

The historical legend of Lambayeque

In the year 1586, the chronicler Miguel Cabello de Balboa was the first to record an Indian legend that told of the arrival of Naylamp to the Lambayeque coast: a great man who arrived by sea with his wife Ceterni and many concubines and soldiers.

A fleet of merchants disembarked onto the beach and erected a temple they called Chot, and an idol they called Yampallec. They lived for many years in the company of the locals until the moment came to leave that world. In order to protect his divine origin, his family created the myth that Naylamp had flown into the sky, which caused the slaves to take their boats and seek him out.

Upon his disappearance, Cium, his heir, governed for many years and had twelve children. He formed a large government and when he died, he bequeathed it to his successors: Escuñain, Mascuy, Cuntipallec, Allascunti, Nofanech, Mulamuslan, Llameooll, Lapinat-cum, Acunta y Fampellec.

Each one governed the empire of their father for a brief time until the last of the brothers was tempted by a demon and attempted to relocate the empire in another place. For this, the gods punished him by causing a 30-day flood and infertile lands.

He was the last great king of Naylamp’s men, who were thereafter conquered by the Great Chimú. He declared one of his lieutenants as monarch. Of the descendants of Naylamp, none survived.

Image: Anchoveta.net

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