Who were the Moche?
The ancient Moche civilization of Peru existed long before the Inca. The Moche civilization, also known as the Early Chimu or Mochica culture, flourished from approximately 100 to 800 CE. Dominating the northern coast, the Moche came to be one of the most important groups in Peruvian history.
When did the Moche civilization start and end?
Written By: Moche, also called Mochica, Andean civilization that flourished from the 1st to the 8th century ce on the northern coast of what is now Peru. The name is taken from the great site of Moche, in the river valley of the same name, which appears to have been the capital or chief city of the Moche peoples.
What caused the decline of the Moche?
The reasons for the demise of the Moche are unknown, but the civilization may have succumbed to earthquakes, prolonged drought, catastrophic flooding arising from the El Niño climatic anomaly, the encroachment of sand dunes on populated areas, or less-tangible social and cultural factors.
What did the Moche do in Peru?
Dozens of other Moche pyramid-platform sites exist in the coastal valleys of northern Peru, most of them looted to some degree. The Moche channeled streams flowing down from the Andes into an extensive system of irrigation canals that were used to grow corn (maize), beans, and other crops.
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When did the Moche decline?
The period of decline began around the year 600 CE. There was not one single cause of the Moche civilization's collapse, but rather a combination of events.
What is one thing the Moche people were known for?
The Moche are well known for their art, especially their naturalistic and articulate ceramics, particularly in the form of stirrup-spout vessels. The ceramics incorporate a wide-ranging subject matter, both in shape and painted decorations, including representations of people, animals, and ritual scenes.
Why is Moche important?
The Moche were contemporary with the Nazca civilization (200 BCE - 600 CE) further down the coast but, thanks to their conquest of surrounding territories, they were able to accumulate the wealth and power necessary to establish themselves as one of the most unique and important early-Andean cultures.
What did the Moche believe in?
The Moche were polytheistic , or had many gods. The most powerful god in their religion was Si, the moon goddess . Since the moon was always visible, and controlled the seasons, Si was the most powerful god. In Moche religion, women could have an important role.
Why did the Moche civilization end?
The reasons for the demise of the Moche are unknown, but the civilization may have succumbed to earthquakes, prolonged drought, catastrophic flooding arising from the El Niño climatic anomaly, the encroachment of sand dunes on populated areas, or less-tangible social and cultural factors.
Who came after the Moche?
Moche culturePreceded bySucceeded byChavín cultureWari culture
Did the Moche build pyramids?
Pyramids to the South: Moche & Inca The Moche, who lived along the northern coast of what is now Peru, built their pyramids of adobe, or sun-dried mud-bricks.
What did the Moche people eat?
They grew many crops typical to South America, including corn, beans, potatoes, yucca, and others. Recent discoveries have shown that food, and in particular, large feasts, were an important part of Moche culture.
What did the Moche create?
They elaborated new technologies in metallurgy, pottery, and textile production, and finally, they created an elaborate ideological system and a complex religious iconography. Moche skilled ceramists produced a great variety of exquisitely decorated vessels.
Who did the Moche sacrifice?
In most Moche funerary contexts, the sacrificed victims were female, but the identity of the sacrificed females and their relationship to the principal male remains unknown. Examples of this type include females sacrificed and buried with a high-ranking principal burial at Huaca de la Cruz (Millaire 2004:376).
Where did Moche human sacrifice take place?
Perhaps one of the first instances of sacrificial human remains from Moche contexts to be documented is reported by Strong and Evans (1952:152). The remains in question were females sacrificed and buried with the highranking principal burial at the Huaca de la Cruz in the Vir Valley.
What is the oldest civilization in Peru?
Norte Chico civilizationThe Caral or Norte Chico civilization of Peru is the oldest known civilization in the Americas, dating back to 3200 BCE.
What are the cultural achievements of the Moche?
Moche architects and artists raised spectacular adobe platforms and pyramids, and created exquisite ceramics and jewelry. Their art, unlike that of most Andean cultures, is naturalistic and rich in imagery, inviting us to explore their world.
Did the Moche build pyramids?
Pyramids to the South: Moche & Inca The Moche, who lived along the northern coast of what is now Peru, built their pyramids of adobe, or sun-dried mud-bricks.
What were Moche vessels used for?
Vessels decorated with religious themes were not merely indicators of social status at the site of Moche. They were strategically used at a household level, as tools to further political ambitions and communicate membership within groups.
What did Moche trade?
So, what trade the Moche did engage in was largely to exchange works of art, weapons, and other goods. The Moche were master craftsmen and created elaborate ceramic sculpture and other artwork. They had large quantities of gold and silver and Moche artisans worked well in these mediums.
Why are Moche so famous?
While the Moche did not leave a written record (they may have used the quipu recording technique that we have yet to decipher), the Moche ritual contexts and their daily lives are known because of excavations and detailed study of their ceramic, sculptural and mural art.
What was the Moche economy?
Moche Politics and Economy. The Moche were a stratified society with a powerful elite and an elaborate, well-codified ritual process. The political economy was based on the presence of large civic-ceremonial centers that produced a wide range of goods which were marketed to rural agrarian villages.
What were the structures of Moche society?
In addition to the canals and aqueducts, architectural elements of Moche society included large monumental pyramid-shaped architecture called huacas which were apparently partly temples, palaces, administrative centers, and ritual meeting places . The huacas were large platform mounds, built of thousands of adobe bricks, and some of them towered hundreds of feet above the valley floor. On top of the tallest platforms were large patios, rooms and corridors, and a high bench for the seat of the ruler.
How many Huacas were there in Moche?
Most of the Moche centers had two huacas, one larger than the other. Between the two huacas could be found the Moche cities, including cemeteries, residential compounds, storage facilities and craft workshops.
What is Moche art?
The Moche or Mochica are perhaps best known for their ceramic art: their pots include life-sized portrait heads of individuals and three-dimensional representations of animals and people.
Why did the Moche build canals?
The Moche built an extensive network of canals to increase agricultural productivity in their regions. Corn, beans, squash, avocado, guavas, chili peppers, and beans were grown by the Moche people; they domesticated llamas, guinea pigs, and ducks.
What is the Moche culture?
AD 100-750) was a South American society, with cities, temples, canals, and farmsteads located along the arid coast in a narrow strip between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes mountains of Peru. The Moche or Mochica are perhaps best known for their ceramic art: their pots include life-sized portrait heads ...
Why is Moche important?
Because irrigation was the source of wealth and foundation of the empire, the Moche culture emphasized the importance of circulation and flow. Expanding upon this, Moche artwork frequently depicted the passage of fluids, particularly life fluids through vulnerable human orifices.
When did Moche culture begin?
Moche history may be broadly divided into three periods – the emergence of the Moche culture in Early Moche (100–300 AD), its expansion and florescence during Middle Moche (300–600 AD), and the urban nucleation and subsequent collapse in Late Moche (500–750 AD).
What did the Moche people use to weave?
The Moche wove textiles, mostly using wool from vicuña and alpaca. Although there are few surviving examples of this, descendants of the Moche people have strong weaving traditions.
What color is Moche pottery?
The coloration of Moche pottery is often simple, with yellowish cream and rich red used almost exclusively on elite pieces. White and black are rarely used. The Moche are known for their portraiture pottery. The pottery portraits created by the Moche appear to represent actual individuals. Many of the portraits are of individuals with physical disfigurements or genetic defects.
What was Moche society?
Moche society was agriculturally based, with a significant level of investment in the construction of a network of irrigation canals for the diversion of river water to supply their crops. Their culture was sophisticated; and their artifacts express their lives, with detailed scenes of hunting, fishing, fighting, sacrifice, ...
What are the two regions of Moche?
Two distinct regions of the Moche civilization have been identified, Southern and Northern Moche, with each area probably corresponding to a different political entity.
Where is Moche located?
The Moche cultural sphere is centered on several valleys on the north coast of Peru in regions La Libertad, Lambayeque, Jequetepeque, Chicama, Moche, Virú, Chao, Santa, and Nepena and occupied 250 miles of desert coastline and up to 50 miles inland.
What caused the Moche to die?from en.wikipedia.org
There are several theories as to what caused the demise of the Moche political structure. Some scholars have emphasised the role of environmental change. Studies of ice cores drilled from glaciers in the Andes reveal climatic events between 536 and 594 AD, possibly a super El Niño, that resulted in 30 years of intense rain and flooding followed by 30 years of drought, part of the aftermath of the climate changes of 535–536. These weather events could have disrupted the Moche way of life and shattered their faith in their religion, which had promised stable weather through sacrifices.
Why are Moche so famous?from thoughtco.com
While the Moche did not leave a written record (they may have used the quipu recording technique that we have yet to decipher), the Moche ritual contexts and their daily lives are known because of excavations and detailed study of their ceramic, sculptural and mural art.
What is the evidence of violence in Moche society?from thoughtco.com
Evidence that violence was a significant part of Moche society was first identified in ceramic and mural art. Images of warriors in battle, decapitations, and sacrifices were originally believed to have been ritual enactments, at least in part, but recent archaeological investigations have revealed that some of the scenes were realistic portrayals of events in Moche society. In particular, bodies of victims have been found at Huaca de la Luna, some of which were dismembered or decapitated and some were clearly sacrificed during episodes of torrential rains. Genetic data support the identification of these individuals as enemy combatants.
What did the Moche people use to weave?from en.wikipedia.org
The Moche wove textiles, mostly using wool from vicuña and alpaca. Although there are few surviving examples of this, descendants of the Moche people have strong weaving traditions.
How many Huacas were there in Moche?from thoughtco.com
Most of the Moche centers had two huacas, one larger than the other. Between the two huacas could be found the Moche cities, including cemeteries, residential compounds, storage facilities and craft workshops.
What culture influenced Moche art?from worldhistory.org
Moche Religion. Moche religion and art were initially influenced by the earlier Chavin culture (c. 900 - 200 BCE) and in the final stages by the Chimú culture. Knowledge of the Moche pantheon is sketchy, but we do know of Al Paec the creator or sky god (or his son) and Si the moon goddess.
Why did the Spanish divert the Rio Moche?from worldhistory.org
The Spanish conquistadors later diverted the Rio Moche in order to break down the Huaca del Sol and loot the tombs within , suggesting that the pyramid was also used by the Moche for generations as a mausoleum for important persons. Remove Ads. Advertisement. Huaca del Sol, Moche.
What did the Moche make?
The Moche had vast stores of gold, silver and copper and they used them to create beautiful masks like the golden masks that were found in the tomb of the warrior priest. They also made bracelets, headdresses, and necklaces made of gold, silver, and turquoise that have been found in the other pyramids.
What was the Moche economy?
Moche Economy. The Moche economy was a well-oiled machine. The Moche presided over an empire that was extremely rich in natural resources. Their artisan class thrived due to the mineral wealth the civilization enjoyed, and these artisans created works of art that rival any of the native tribes of South America.
What was the Moche civilization based on?
Everything about the Moche Civilization was based on conquest, and building super structures really showed it. Their massive empire ranged from the Chicama and Trujillo Valleys, but after conquering other tribes also included the northern Piura Valley through the southern Huarmey Valley.
What was the Moche government?
The Moche Government and Social Structure. The Moche government and social structure were hierarchical and very organized. It was split between the northern and southern regions of their lands.
Why were the Moche priests so successful?
As the empire expanded and other tribes were defeated, the Moche warrior priests were given high praise and veneration for their military success. They could advance through Moche government to places of high power and influence, and could also join the royal family.
How were Conquest and Moche religion connected?
Conquest and the Moche religion were connected to each other in other ways as well. Their religion relied on human or blood sacrifice, and those taken in battle were often used for this purpose. Those at the bottom of Moche society were used for this purpose as well.
Why did the Moche need a developed and organized economy?
In order to fight wars of conquest, build huge cities, and erect massive monuments, the Moche needed a developed and organized economy, government, and social structure. Let's discuss their organization and see how they were able to become one of the most important native cultures of the Americas.
Where was the Moche burial site?
When Alva arrived at the scene, he discovered a rich Moche burial ground in Huaca Rajada, with some of the finest metalwork and ceramic pieces ever seen. This fateful night initiated an extensive archaeological excavation of the site over a period of nearly two decades, and excavation of the area continues today.
What did the Sipán excavations reveal?
The Sipán excavations revealed that these figures were not merely mythological characters, but were connected to real humans who were buried in regalia similar to those in the painted representations.
Moche Chronology
Moche Politics and Economy
Moche Architecture
Moche Burials
Moche Violence
History of Moche Archaeology
- The Moche were first recognized as a distinct cultural phenomenon by archaeologist Max Uhle, who studied the site of Moche in the early decades of the 20th century. The Moche civilization is also associated with Rafael Larco Hoyle, the "father of Moche archaeology" who proposed the first relative chronology based on ceramics.
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Overview
The Moche civilization flourished in northern Peru with its capital near present-day Moche, Trujillo, Peru from about 100 to 700 AD during the Regional Development Epoch. While this issue is the subject of some debate, many scholars contend that the Moche were not politically organized as a monolithic empire or state. Rather, they were likely a group of autonomous polities that s…
Background
Southern and Northern Moche
Material culture
Religion
Social stratification
Collapse
Links with other cultures
Moche Civilization Location
History of The Moche
- The Moche thrived from approximately 100-800 CE. During their several hundred year reign, they made quite a mark on the history of Peru. While there is no written record of the Moche civilization, scientists have determined much about this culture through their artifacts and archaeological research. Historians generally divide the history of the Mo...
The Moche Culture
Moche Economy
Moche Political Structure
Women in Moche Society
Moche Archaeological Sites
Discover The Moche Civilization