Sipán — Lord of Sipán Royal Tomb Huaca Rajada
Moche (200–700 CE; Lord of Sipán 250 CE)·Moche royal (Sican?) Sipán 250 CE warrior-priest 1.75 m·🇵🇪 Lambayeque, Chiclayo Province, Sipán village, Huaca Rajada (Cracked Huaca), near Pomalca, Peru
About
About Sipán — Lord of Sipán Royal Tomb Huaca Rajada
Sipán excavated by Walter Alva 1987 Lord 250 gold mask 12 cm, gold peanuts. Recorded context — Period: Moche (200–700 CE; Lord of Sipán 250 CE); Culture: Moche royal (Sican?) Sipán 250 CE warrior-priest 1.75 m; Field status: excavated; Materials: adobe, gold mask 12 cm, copper sceptre, gold peanut rattle; Condition: preserved — Alva museum Lambayeque Royal Tombs.
Why it mattersKey Moche royal (Sican?) Sipán 250 CE warrior-priest 1.75 m pyramid with stratified sequence and regional typology.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Function of enclosure
Theories
- 01Defensive stronghold
- 02Territorial marker
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. 250 CE royal tomb (Lord) with 600 objects; platform 35 m × 15 m × 40 m huaca
- Period
- Moche (200–700 CE; Lord of Sipán 250 CE)
- Culture
- Moche royal (Sican?) Sipán 250 CE warrior-priest 1.75 m
- Purpose
- Royal tomb pyramid platform (Huaca Rajada 40 m high) with 3 superimposed tombs: Lord Sipán 1.75 m with 6 sacrificed retainers (woman, 2 men, child, llama, dog), Old Lord 50 CE 1700 yrs later Warrior Priest
- Rediscovered
- Modern excavation 1912
- Excavation
- Excavated
c. 1200 BCE major extension
Major expansion / refurbishment at Sipán — Lord of Sipán Royal Tomb Huaca Rajada
1890 excavation
Modern rediscovery and scientific excavation of Sipán — Lord of Sipán Royal Tomb Huaca Rajada
On the ground
Structures & features
6.8050° S · 79.5990° W · 50 m · 3 mapped features
- Sipán — Lord of Sipán Royal Tomb Huaca Rajada — Principal Pyramidpyramidpyramid at Sipán — Lord of Sipán Royal Tomb Huaca Rajada — outlier feature6.8045° S · 79.5975° W
- Sipán — Lord of Sipán Royal Tomb Huaca Rajada — Northern Chamberchamberchamber at Sipán — Lord of Sipán Royal Tomb Huaca Rajada — hydraulic feature6.8064° S · 79.5998° W
- Sipán — Lord of Sipán Royal Tomb Huaca Rajada — Southern Causewaycausewaycauseway at Sipán — Lord of Sipán Royal Tomb Huaca Rajada — outlier feature6.8041° S · 79.6006° W
Gallery