Lambayeque

Pyramids of Túcume

The pyramids of Túcume site is one of the main monumental centers in the Lambayeque region and the whole of Peru. The archaeological complex extends over 220 hectares, and is surrounded by fertile farming land and the country houses of Raya and San Antonio. There are several other “huacas” or sites of spiritual significance in the surrounding area: Huaca Larga, Las Estacas, La Raya, Del Pueblo, Las Balsas, Huaca I, Los Gavilanes y Las Grandes, etc. Construction of the pyramids and burial sites started in the 7th century. They were completed around 700 AD.

Sipán

Famous for the discovery 30 years ago of the “Lord of Sipán” tomb, which retained all the treasures of a nobleman’s burial, hidden from looters and grave robbers. The archaeological complex has been reduced in area by the encroachment of farming in the area over the last few centuries. Even so, the site presents several distinct areas, including monuments, patios, cemeteries, domestic areas and fortifications. The area at the center of the complex is also known as Huaca Rajada — “the split huaca” — due to splits in the superstructure created by alluvial erosion. The central area is a cluster of buildings, including the Royal Mausoleum, a rectangular platform 80 meters long by 1.30 meters high. The site has provided archaeologists with important information about the costumes and clothing worn by the Moche people.

Sicán (Batán Grande) – Pómac

Comprising 20 mud pyramids distributed in an area of 46km2, Sicán was found inside the grounds of the hacienda Batán Grande. It takes a range of exotically named buildings: the Botija and Colorada tombs, Engineer’s kiln, Loro Tomb, La Merced, El Santillo, the Bees, the Window, Rodillona, the Look, Cholope, Arena, and Court, among others. It is believed the complex was a center for the development of the Lambayeque or Sicán culture (Sicán meaning “house or temple of the moon” in the Moche language).

Multicolored Murals of Ucupe

The archaeological complex at Ucupe is a group of dispersed structures, and covers a large area. Many of them contain multicolored murals, featuring depictions of humans and animals. Included among the monuments are: Huaca “the town,” “murals,” “Moche,” “Teodora,” “Chaquiras,” “Lemon” among others.

Huaca Chotuna

Archaeologists recently found a tomb at this site containing the bodies of 11 women who had been sacrificed. The complex consists of a series of truncated pyramids and enclosures covering an area of approximately 20 hectares. The pyramids reach a height of 40 meters, and in one part of the complex great walls 4 meters high enclose patios and other mounds made of adobe, partially covered by sand. Chotuna has a special significance for the Department of Lambayeque because it’s the site identified with the Legend of Naylamp, the mythic founder of the Moche culture, who is said to have come ashore with his people on a flotilla of rafts. The story goes that when his tomb was defiled it unleashed a curse; 30 days of rain and flooding that drowned crops and destroyed towns.

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