South American Adventure

From Chan Chan, Yanni came on the truck with us to the archaeological sites of the Temples of the Sun and Moon.  Unfortunately, we got a bit lost between the two places, so it took longer than it should have to get there.  By the time we did, some members of the group were 'over it' and decided not to join the tour.  We joined.  It was very interesting, but I think we were all aware that we still had a long drive ahead to get to Huaraz and would have preferred if the tour had been truncated!  As it was, the on-site museum was closed for maintenance, so we couldn't go in there.  If we had been able to, the tour would have been even longer!

The Temples of the Sun and Moon are part of Huacas de Moche, the remains of an ancient Moche capital city called Cerro Blanco, located near the volcanic peak of the same name.  Today, only the Temple of the Moon is open to visitors.

The Huaca de la Luna, although it is the smaller of the two huacas at the site, has yielded the most archaeological information.  The Huaca del Sol was partially destroyed and looted by Spanish conquistadors in the seventeenth century, while the Huaca de la Luna was left relatively untouched. Archaeologists believe that the Huaca del Sol may have had administrative, military, and residential functions, as well as a burial mound for the Moche elite.  The Huaca de la Luna was mainly used for ceremonial and religious purposes, including burials.

Today, the Huaca de la Luna is coloured the soft brown of its adobe brickwork.  At the time of construction, it was decorated with murals painted in black, bright red, sky blue, white, and yellow.  The sun and weather have faded these murals away.  Panels displayed near each one show visitors how they would have looked.

Many of the later bricks used in the structure bear one of more than 100 different markings, perhaps corresponding to groups of labourers from different communities.  It is thought that each team was assigned a mark to put on their bricks.  These were used to count the number of bricks laid for financial and competitive purposes.

The Huaca de la Luna is a large complex of three main platforms, each serving a different function.  The northernmost platform, at one time brightly decorated with a variety of murals and reliefs, was destroyed by looters.  The surviving central and southern platforms have been the focus of most excavations.  The central platform has yielded multiple high-status burials interred with a variety of fine ceramics, suggesting that it was used as a burial ground for the Moche religious elite.

The eastern platform, black rock, and adjacent patios were the sites of human sacrifice rituals.  These are depicted in a variety of Moche graphic representations, most notably painted ceramics.  After the sacrifice, the bodies of victims would be hurled over the side of the Huaca and left exposed in the patios.  Researchers have discovered multiple skeletons of adult males at the foot of the rock, all of whom show signs of trauma, usually a severe blow to the head, as the cause of death.Read more