Huaca Rajada

The huaca Rajada is the most important funerary complex of the culture Moche to date discovered. It is located close to the village of Sipán, in the Région of Lambayeque. A museum was especially built to present the discoveries coming from this complex, it acts of the museum Tumbas Reales de Sipán located in the city close to Lambayeque.

Lord of Sipán

Already known before 1987, this complex became celebrates this year thanks to the discovery by Walter Alva, specialist in the Moche culture, impressive fall from very an Moche top-ranking executive, named “Lord of Sipán” according to the name of the close village. This one was buried surrounded by two men, two women and a dog. The tomb contains invaluable jewels and other ornaments of a priceless value: objects of gold, money, copper, bronze or terra cotta. This discovery is sometimes regarded as the most important archaeological discovery with the Peru since that of the Machu Picchu, in particular because it is one of the rare sites précolombiens having been found intact, remained with the variation of the huaqueros (plunderers of tombs).

This discovery called in question of many ideas concerning the Moche culture, in particular concerning the place of the ugly leader in the company: it was much more important than it before was believed. For example, of many ceramics show a character richly countered who one carried out quantity of offerings. This character, initially considered as a god, was finally identified as being the lord of Sipán itself.

The lord of Sipán probably reigned during the 3rd century and died at the age of roughly 40 years.

Other tombs

Although the discovery of the “Lord of Sipán” was most important on the site, others discovered of tombs revealed the width of this funerary complex. This one also contained, for example, fall it from the “ Viejo señor of Sipán ” (old lord of Sipán), which belonged to the same family that the first and reigned before. On the whole, four tombs were excavated, and of many others still remain in place. Many jewels, masks and other objets d'art were discovered.

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