Huaca Rajada-Sipan, Lambayeque, Peru

Huaca Rajada, also known as Sipan, is a Moche archaeological site in northern Peru in the Lambayeque Valley, that is famous for the tomb of Lord of Sipan (El Señor de Sipán),

The tombs of Sipan allowed for archaeologists and anthropologists to get a better understanding of the Sacrifice Ceremony of the Sipan rulers that had been illustrated on murals, ceramics, and other decorative goods. The Sacrifice Ceremonies were often depicted with prisoners among gods or royalty. The tombs at Sipan showed that rulers actually took part in such Sacrifice Ceremonies when looking at the artifacts uncovered including: adornments and a headdress that matched the illustrations of the ceremony along with large knives and tools that would have been used for bloodletting and decapitation.

Entrance to the Sipan archaeological site

Scale model of Huaca Rajada

Burial platform

Burial platform
The burial platform would have measured 50 by 130 meters (164 by 426 ft) base and over 12 m (39 ft) high. There is evidence that monumental structure was decorated with polychrome mural and ceilings were decorated with ceramic sculptural images depicting human heads with serrated horns and clubs.

Levels:

Building 1 (red)
Architectural filling
Building 2 (yellow)
Building 3
Possible Building 4 on geological terrain

Climbing up to the Burial platform

Tomb 1 - Lord of Sipan

Tomb 2 - Priest
The second tomb found in Sipan belonged to a 40-year-old man.

His burial chamber was sealed with carob beams.
Inside, a wooden coffin was found that housed the man along with a funerary trousseau with exquisite pieces of gold and silver, highlighting a cup that would have been used in religious ceremonies.
The priest was accompanied by 2 adult men, 2 women and 1 child; in addition, the remains of a dog, a snake, a llama and ceramic offerings were found deposited in niches.

Tomb 3 - Old Lord of Sipan
This character is the oldest ruler in Sipan. Due to the quantity and quality of his command and rank objects, he was called the Old Lord of Sipan.

At the time of his death he was between 45 and 55 years old; in addition to the large quantity of jewels and symbolic objects, a young woman and a llama were placed in his tomb.
Unlike other Moche nobles, he was buried in a funerary bundle in a pit tomb.

Tomb 7 - Guardian

Tomb 8 - Military Chief
The burial chamber was sealed with a roof made of carob beams, inside which two cane coffins were found.

The main character had among his belongings beautiful jewels, various ornaments of command and rank associated with military activities, considering him as a military leader.
In the other coffin the disturbed bones of an ancestor were found.
Two other male companions, a decapitated llama, an additional llama head, and a large number of ceramic vessels were placed there during the burial.

Tomb 11 - Noble

Tomb 14 - Warrior Priest
Excavations restarted in May 2007, allowing the recovery of the tomb of an important Moche figure, aged between 30 and 40 years, who was buried with various offerings of ceramics, camelids, metal objects, Spondylus valves and accompanied by a young woman.