San José de Moro

San José de Moro is a low mound site in the Jequetepeque valley that was used for centuries as a cemetery and ceremonial ground by the Moche and their successors, and excavation there since 1991 under Luis Jaime Castillo has produced a series of chamber tombs of high-status women. The finding that mattered was the identification of these burials with the Priestess - a figure who appears repeatedly in Moche iconography officiating at the sacrifice ceremony, holding a goblet - which established that the scenes painted on Moche pottery depicted real offices held by real people, and that some of those offices were held by women. The tombs included fine ceramics, metal ornaments and the distinctive headdress plumes shown in the imagery. The site itself is modest to look at, a series of excavated areas beside the village, with a small museum holding replicas and finds.

What you'll find

• The chamber tombs - excavated burials of high-status Moche women.
• The Priestess identification - iconography matched to actual buried individuals.
• The finds - fine ceramics, metalwork and headdress ornaments in the museum.
• The setting - a low mound site beside a working village, still under excavation.

When to go

Year-round; the excavation season affects what is open. One to two hours including the museum. Check whether the museum is staffed before travelling.

What to expect

There is little standing architecture - this is an excavation site, and much is backfilled. The museum is small, with replicas alongside originals. Signage is limited. Access depends on whether anyone is there to open it.

Nearby

Chepén is south; Pacasmayo and the coast are west.

Key facts