Peru is becoming a popular destination for adventure travelers, and with excavations going on around the country, the rich history of the Moche is being brought to the surface.
An odd looking pyramid has been half-excavated in Peru and stands out from other pyramids, according to National Geographic. The pyramid, thought to be from the Moche culture, is believed to have been homes, and a place where sacrifices were made.
The flat-topped structure is expected to be about 1,400 years old, and is believed to have supported elite residences for people who may have overseen copper production in the area. Unearthed along with the remnants of adobe stands and large water vessels were human remains and scattered llama, dog, guinea pig and fish bones, according to the news source.
Thriving in Peru between 100 to 800 A.D., the Moche culture was made up of many independently governed agricultural societies that shared a common religion. When archaeologists first began digging, they uncovered the mud-brick pyramid within the mound, along with residences. It was then, that they also found evidence of human sacrifice on the rooftop platform, reports the news source.
Located in Huaca Colorada, the old pyramid is shedding light on what life would have been like for the Moche culture.
"The way to approach this quite peculiar aspect of Moche society—religious centralization rather than economic or political—is by looking at San Jose de Moro and the complex sites around it," Moche expert Luis Jaime Castillo Butters, told the news source.
The best way to explore Peru is with a small adventure travel group.
Pyramid in Peru seems to be where sacrifices were made
Posted on Monday, Oct. 25th, 2010
