Huaca del Sol and Huaca de la Luna
Pyramids of the Sun and Moon, Moche · Huacas de Moche
Moche (Mochica) 100–800 CE (Huaca de la Luna 100–600 CE; Sol 450–600 CE peak)·Moche (Moche culture)·🇵🇪 La Libertad, Trujillo, Moche Valley, Peru
About
About Huaca del Sol and Huaca de la Luna
Twin massive adobe pyramid complexes of Moche state (100–800 CE): Huaca del Sol 43 m high (185 × 41 m base, largest pre-Columbian adobe mass in Americas, 143 million bricks stamped with maker's marks) – administrative palace; Huaca de la Luna 32 m high with polychrome friezes (warrior, spider god Ai Apaec decapitator, Dayak?) and 5 superimposed temples, buried sacrifice plaza with 50 warrior victims. UNESCO Tentative. Sacking by Chimú later.
Why it mattersMost important Moche center illustrating Andean pyramid-coast adaptation and sacrifice ideology linked to Sipán.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01143 million brick marks meaning – corvée tally or guild
Theories
- 01Maker's marks as tributary labor accounting vs construction sequence marker vs clan totems
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- Luna c.100–600 CE (5 rebuilds); Sol c.450–600 CE
- Period
- Moche (Mochica) 100–800 CE (Huaca de la Luna 100–600 CE; Sol 450–600 CE peak)
- Culture
- Moche (Moche culture)
- Purpose
- Twin ritual–administrative axis: Sol civic palace + Luna sacrificial temple mountain
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
Luna c.100–600 CE (5 rebuilds); Sol c.450–600 CE
Initial construction
c. 1546 CE
Rediscovery
On the ground
Structures & features
8.1322° S · 78.9947° W · 38 m · 3 mapped features
Huaca del Sol adobe massif 43m
pyramidAdministrative pyramid massif 143M bricks
8.1322° S · 78.9947° WHuaca de la Luna 5-layer temple & polychrome frieze 32m
pyramid5 superimposed temples with painted reliefs of Decapitator god
8.1350° S · 78.9914° WPlaza 1 sacrificial patio (50 victims)
plazaPlaza with disseminated human sacrifices
8.1355° S · 78.9910° W
Gallery