Huaca Rajada Burial Site

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The pyramid site of Huaca Rajada is near the town of Sipan in Northern Peru. The site is most famous for the burial place where the Lord of Sipan was founded. There are now more than fourteen discovered tombs within this large burial site. The site was created throughout time and there are notable findings from different time periods in the Moche culture. The findings within the tombs have provided important information on the individuals buried. Through the Moche art work, burial styles, and iconography discovered in every tomb, archaeologists have been able to learn more about their culture. An archaeologist by the name of Walter Alva was working for a local museum in the town of Sipan at the time and while feeling sick, he received a …show more content…

There were ceramic pots with drawings on them not far from where the looters were looking for items. They found the skeleton of a man in a seated position and after digging a bit deeper, found a sealed coffin. The man found first had his feet missing so they assumed they were cut off and believed it was so that he could never leave and protect what’s inside the tomb. In the center of the tomb was a wooden sarcophagus and was said to be the first of its kind found in the Americas. In the article Tombs of the Lords of Sipan the author says, “Alva and Chero discovered opulent treasures: a full royal regalia adorning the poorly preserved skeleton of a man, aged 35-45 years old, and around 1.63m (5’4′) tall. It had retainers and other offerings surround it. The body was enveloped in a rich and varied collection of emblems, metallic vestments, and ornaments” (Darrini 2009). The coffin was made of wood and was held together by copper ties. The man inside looked to have been wearing a costume. The body consisted of a crescent headdress made of gold, a gold mask, and multiple sets of gold earspools. The body also had two necklaces around his neck, which consisted of gold and silver peanut sized pieces. The individual wore a warrior back flap shield on his body. The chest shields were made of bone, stone, shell, and feathers. They also found a golden scepter in his right hand and noticed there

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