Neal Bierling, Archaeological Adventures: Getting High in Peru: The Temple of the Moon AND the Temple of the Sun

Getting High in Peru: The Temple of the Moon AND the Temple of the Sun

The museum is near the Huacas del Sol (the Sun) y de la Luna (the Moon). The Huaca de la Luna [Not the Valley of the Crescent Moon] is built up against the volcanic pyramid-shaped mountain named Cerro Blanco (White Mountain). These temples are more than 700 years older than the ones at Chan Chan and date to AD 50-850, the final phase completed perhaps by AD 700 during the Moche Period. The Moche have a solid reputation for building and the temples here, even though in ruins (due to eroding mudbrick) are impressive especially since the archaeologists have revealed some of the murals. The Temple (or Huaca) del Sol, with perhaps one-third of it washed away, had been the largest single pre-Inca structure, which took perhaps 140 million mudbricks to construct. Wooden molds were used to mass-produce the sun-dried bricks. Red and yellow ochre once covered the walls, but the colors are now only evident where the archaeologists work.

Entrance to the Museum

Cerro Blanco

The temples were in the ancient city called Moche covering about 250 acres, and we toured the Huaca de la Luna. Across the way (500 meters west) is the Huaca del Sol, and the city’s residents lived between the two Huacas. Various canals brought water from the river to the residents, and some of its streets have been defined. A bamboo-like cane (“Cana de Guayaquil”) and another wood called algarrobo were used to construct the roofs along with woven reeds.

Soon after you enter Huaca de la Luna at the foot of the mountain, you will see an outcropping of rock and a sign informing you that was a sacrificial area. The skeletal remains of more than 60 men were uncovered here (not all remains were intact), and you will see further explanation of this deed as you continue through the site.

Cerro Blanco with the Temple of the Moon built up against it.

Cerro Blanco with a wall line to its base

The grey outcropping of rock left of center

The burial of the victims was here

You can also see the mudbrick lines

Next, you come to the first area where the friezes are displayed on the mudbrick walls. Huaca de la Luna’s five levels with plazas were built over five centuries to AD 600, each level completely covering the previous. There are friezes on each level confirmed by the archaeologists who peeled away the levels in a few locations. Access to the levels was and is by mudbrick ramps.

Drawing showing the superimposed levels

Views of the murals

The De-Capitado god, Ayapec (Aiapaec)

The murals

You then see reference to the Tomb of the Priest. Even though the Moche did not have a written language, due to what was buried with this individual it is believed that he was a priest.

Burial site of the priest

You will see more friezes before coming to a highlight of the site, the Main Platform, the location of the Great Altar. This area was remodeled three times—three successive super impositions. The signs help you understand this. Here the priests presided, and the post holes indicate that this area was roofed. In each of the three phases the god (s) hold either serpents (surrounded by decapitated human heads), or his appendages end in bird heads (condors?). Another sign shows you the process of sacrifice. Men fight—not to kill each other but to catch your opponent, take off his armor, which you place on your club, and then you lead your captive to the Altar of Sacrifice with a rope around his neck. Once there, the priest presides, and then as I mentioned above, some of the victims may have buried at the foot of the mountain. [#233]

The main altar is to the left along the back wall (see below)

Again the decapitator god

On-site explanation signs

The sacrificial process

The Great Altar on the left

The murals on the back wall and post holes indicating a roof

Views of the Great Altar

Phase One

Phase Two

Phase Three

Final view of the Great Altar with a sacrificial victim

They did not fight to kill but to capture and to sacrifice

The bodies buried near the back mudbrick wall and at

the foot of the mountain

Now you descend down the ramp, viewing the Huaca del Sol across the way. Between you and it is the flat plain where the residents lived and worked. You can see that much of the Huaca del Sol is eroded (as is the Huaca de la Luna); you can see the lines of erosion and the individual bricks.

The Temple of the Sun 500 m west of de la Luna

The city's residents lives between the two

Temple of the Sun its mudbricks showing

On-site sign

Now you finally see what is the highlight of the site, the North Façade of the Ceremonial Plaza. The girders hold the protective roof in place, but several pictures have people in them for perspective. The lowest (or 1^st) terrace shows warriors leading their prisoners by a rope around their necks. The 2^nd terrace has dancers (?). The 3^rd terrace shows the Spider Decapitator. The 4^th terrace shows the Marine Deity holding fish and other fishing paraphernalia. The 5^th terrace shows the Lunar god carrying a severed head, and the 6^th terrace is actually a ramp with a long serpent and at its end is the god Aiapaec (Ayapec), whose extremities end in bird feet (condor?). At the very top is The God of the Mountains, the beheader god. In one hand he has a head, and in the other is a knife. He is surrounded by four condor heads.

Note the people against The Wall of Murals

Rows 1 and 2

On-site sign showing all 6 rows

Rows 1 through 4

Closeup of Row 4, the Marine Deity

Row 5, Feline/Reptile carrying a severed head

The god featured on Row 6

To the left, in the northwest corner of the Ceremonial Plaza is a mural said to show various myths of the Moche society; therefore, the sign says “The Mural of the Myths.” The mural is filled with plants, animals, stars, the sun and moon, warriors, beheaded people (?), people wearing a four or five-pointed crown, which reminded me of the people depicted on the petroglyphs at Toro Muerto (Dead Bull). Note the blue dog to the left of center. I’ll show him as we leave the site. You probably can spot other elements, but exactly what this mural represents is currently unknown. I’ve heard commentaries by guides, but I’ll wait until I read more about it in archaeological journals.

On-site sign of the Mural of the Myths

Now various views of the Mural of the Myths

Note the blue dog

They started at the top back in 1998 and excavated down

Final shot of the Great Mural with people for perspective

As we leave the site, you may see as we did a bluish, hairless dog. This is the biringos dog, a native dog with a higher body temperature than other dogs and is sometimes used as a body warmer of sick individuals. We have seen them in other locations as well. Check out the souvenir booth for authentic-looking Moche ceramics made with molds as did the Moche.