Huaca de la Luna (Moche Ceremonial Pyramid)
Huaca de la Luna · Temple of the Moon (Moche) · Luna Moche Pyramid · Huaca Luna Ceremonial
Early Intermediate Moche (100–800 CE, six building phases A–F, peak 400–650 CE)·Moche (Mochica, ceremonial counterpart to Del Sol administrative)·🇵🇪 La Libertad Region, Moche Valley 5 km south Trujillo, base of Cerro Blanco opposite Huaca del Sol 500 m east, Peru
About
About Huaca de la Luna (Moche Ceremonial Pyramid)
Ceremonial Moche pyramid (100–800 CE, 45×38 m 21 m high with six construction phases superpositioned — temple buried inside temple) at Cerro Blanco base opposite Del Sol. Polychrome friezes with Moche deity (Ai Apaec, Decapitator), warriors, spiders and snakes in relief and painted stucco. Three platforms with plazas and altar. Best murals in Moche world with up to 6 layers exposed. Excavated Santiago Uceda–Mujica 1991–present Proyecto Huaca de la Luna. Pedestrian plaza with sacrificed warrior remains (75 individuals).
Why it mattersBest preserved Moche polychrome temple; six-layer superposition shows temple burial ritual; warrior sacrifice plaza links iconography to bioarchaeology.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Why six encapsulations vs single rebuild elsewhere
- 02Warrior sacrifice 75 individuals relation to ENSO crisis
Theories
- 01Huaca Luna as ritual mountain mirroring Cerro Blanco sacred peak — temple as artificial Cerro Blanco
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.100–800 CE six successive temples A (oldest) to F (latest) encapsulated
- Period
- Early Intermediate Moche (100–800 CE, six building phases A–F, peak 400–650 CE)
- Culture
- Moche (Mochica, ceremonial counterpart to Del Sol administrative)
- Purpose
- Ceremonial pyramid-temple with polychrome deity murals — Moche ritual theater opposite Huaca del Sol palace
- Excavation
- Excavated
c.100–800 CE six successive temples A (oldest) to F (latest) encapsulated
Initial construction / foundation
c. 850 CE
Major use phase and refurbishment
20th century
Modern archaeological survey and excavation
On the ground
Structures & features
8.1350° S · 79.0650° W · 25 m · 3 mapped features
Huaca de la Luna pyramids
pyramid45×38 m polychrome pyramid with six superimposed temples
8.1350° S · 79.0650° WAi Apaec frieze
frieze2 m polychrome frieze with Decapitator deity on platform
8.1348° S · 79.0648° WWarrior sacrifice plaza
plaza60×50 m plaza with altar and sacrificed warrior remains
8.1352° S · 79.0652° W
Gallery