Photograph of the Moche (Mochica) royal tomb treasure including a gold spider necklace of the Old Lord of Sipan in the Lambayeque Valley of Northern Peru. The metalwork sculpture spider necklace was made for the warrior priest Old Lord of Sipan about 400-500 A.D. The spider necklace is resting on gilded copper jewelry and ornament (now corroded green). The warrior priest figure and treasure are surrounded by simple pots, which were filled with food and other commodities for the afterlife. The Sipan tombs are the richest archeology excavation site ever found in the Americas or New World. The pyramid or platform (huaca) is excavated by archeologist Walter Alva of the Bruning Museum in Lambayeque. The huaca is built of adobe mud bricks. The Moche culture began about 200 B.C., lasting to about 1000 A.C. Photograph by Nathan Benn taken September, 1989.

Location

Sipan, Chiclayo, Lambayeque Vall

Tags

Americas, Bruning Museum, Lambayeque, Lambayeque Valley, Lord of Sipan, Moche, Mochica, Nathan Benn, New World, Northern Peru, Sipan, Walter Alva, anthropomorphic, archeologist, archeology, beads, copper, excavation, gilded, gold, huaca, jewelry, metalwork, necklace, ornament, photograph, pots, pyramid, royal, sculpture, site, spider, tomb, treasure, warrior priest