Brüning Museum, pioneer in Lambayeque
Enrique Brüning
The creator
of the Museum, Enrique Brüning, (Hoffeld, Germany, August 20, 1848; Bordesholm,
Germany, July 2, 1928) was a researcher, mechanical engineer, naturalist,
archaeologist, ethnographer, photographer and collector of antiquities.
Hans
Heinrich, as a mechanical engineer and at the age of 27, decided to come to
Peru, arrived at the port of Callao in 1875. He then arrived at the Eten port
of Chiclayo to work as a mechanic at the sugar plantation in Pátapo. Soon, he
began to visit the nearby haciendas; since 1894 he is known as Enrique.
The interest
for the archeology begins in 1883, since then, Brüning with his camera
photographed the oldest constructions and the inhabitants of the time. Amateur
photographer and good sketcher, he created high quality plans; recorded more
than two thousand photos on glass plates, in negative and positive films. The
purchase and collection of ceramics, metals, precious stones and carved wood,
was completed with ethnography, archeology. He was a loved and respected
person.
When he was
49 years old (1897) and twenty years of work in Peru, he returns to his
country; completes its library and links with top-level institutions. He
returned to Peru in 1898; and in 1902, Brüning took part in a risky expedition
to find the shortest route between the Marañon basin and the Pacific coast,
accompanied by the Pole Eduardo de Habich and Manuel Antonio Mesones Muro, with
whom he came to the Pongo de Manseriche. Brüning wrote an ethnographic
description of the Aguaruna peoples.
The muchik
inhabitants of the north of Peru avoided strangers, but Brüning earned his
trust; he stayed to live in Villa de Eten to study the language muchik, and
publish a dictionary in 1917. He is the author of other publications and
articles that he published in the German magazines Anthropophyteia and Globus.
Brüning, violinist and music lover, used wax cylinders and recorded music in
the muchik dialect. The originals are conserved in the Anthropological Museum
of Hamburg of Germany, they are the first recordings of popular music made in
Peru.
In the 50
years that he was in Peru, he bought and collected ceramics; in 1916 he had so
many that he decided to sell part of his collection to the Peruvian State.
These pieces were now part of the First Regional Museum of Peru located in his
house, which since July 10, 1921 became the Museum of Brüning. Brüning was the
first appointed director. He was a short time in office, and for having 77
years of age and health discomfort, resigned to leave June 17, 1925, a rainy
afternoon without anyone firing him in Port Eten. In Germany, a sudden cardiac
arrest put out his life on July 2, 1928.
The museum
The Brüning
National Archaeological Museum, located in the city of Lambayeque, Peru; It has
collections of archaeological pieces Lambayeque, Mochicas, Chavín, Vicús, Inca,
Chimú. The Brüning is the first museum in the Lambayeque region and one of the
first efforts to show the rich cultural wealth of northern Peru.
In its
gardens it is shown Naylamp, founder of the dynasty of the Lambayecan kings;
the facade has a colorful mural. The interior of the main building has four
levels, between its corridors and halls are exposed more than 1400
archaeological pieces that show the sophisticated technology and artistic
quality of the ancient Peruvians. The most important works date back more than
10,000 years. The first place where the Brüning Museum operated was the home of
Hans Heinrich Brüning, in 1921 at 271 San Roque Street. The current
headquarters was opened in 1966 and was supported by the German government.
Between 2005 and 2006 it was remodeled under the auspices of the German
government.
The permanent exhibition
Golden Room:
In this environment one of the most important goldsmith collections of America
is conserved (500 pieces), including pieces found in the tomb of the Lord of
Sipán.
Exhibition
Hall Hans Heinrich Brüning: This room displays the archaeological and
historical legacy of the founder for 50 years.
Multimedia
Room: Beginning of the route, where a multimedia projection samples the visitor
the content of the museum and topics related to the region (culture, art,
tradition, folklore).
Introductory
Room: Area designed to offer a global vision of the general content through
information panels.
Hall of the
Goldsmiths: Shows the Lambayecan culture in everyday life. In a ceramics
workshop, 2500 years old techniques are baked and reproduced; visitors can
participate by reproducing or recreating pieces of archeology and local
culture.
Room of
Cultural Evolution of the North Region: Evidences of music and dance, religion,
quackery, oral tradition and Muchik language are shown. A scene of curanderismo
is recreated; as well as recreations of the elaboration of "chicha"
(mochica ancestral drink), textile, pottery and fishing. Also shown is a
life-size reed horse and mannequins in a fishing scene.
Materials of
the Early Cultures are shown on the second floor; as those corresponding to
ceremonial centers of Purulen, Udima, the enigmatic geoglyphs El Búho and El
Águila in Oyotún, the funerary complex of the Morro de Eten Shaman, and the
Salinar and Virú Cultures.
The third
floor dedicated to the Chimú and Inka Culture, contains products of
Pre-Hispanic Technology and Production (agriculture, woodwork, musical
instruments, artifacts made in concha spondyllus and conus) that show the vast
production and technological advance of the ancient Lambayecano settlers.
Ceramic,
textiles, architecture and the sea are exhibited on the fourth floor. The scene
of the Caballito de Totora; that of the master potter who transforms clay into
useful objects; and the weaver with her loom at the waist that with her manual
dexterity turning the thread into fabrics or fabrics.
One of the
most representative groups is the "Priestess of Chornancap",
character that symbolizes religiosity and political power in the Lambayeque
Culture (12th and 13th century AD). The funeral trousseau is made up of 300
pieces of fine ceramics, metal with gold, copper, silver alloys adorned with
iconographic elements, high quality jewelry that includes pearl objects with
gold and silver beads, miniature works of art carved in shells marinas and
stone.
Links to other Lambayeque Museums
Museums of
Lambayeque, northern Peru
Sican Museum
of Culture
Museum of
Huaca Chotuna
Museum of
Huaca Rajada
Túcume site
museum
Museum of
Royal Tombs of the Lord of Sipán
References
Museo
Arqueológico Nacional Brüning
Enrique
Brüning
Conozca más
del Museo Arqueológico Brüning y los objetos que exhibe. https://andina.pe/agencia/noticia-conozca-mas-del-museo-arqueologico-br%C3%BCning-y-los-objetos-exhibe-716091.aspx
Ministerio
de Cultura dispone el ingreso gratuito al Museo Brüning por 96 aniversario
Museo
Arqueológico Nacional Bruning
