Huaca Colorada

Huaca Colorada is a site in the Jequetepeque Valley on the north coast of Peru. It was constructed by a culture called the Moche and was in use from ca. AD 600-800.

A pyramid, built at the top of a hill, was at the centre of the settlement. Today it’s obstructed by sand and soil and archaeologists don’t yet have a clear idea as to its dimensions.

A complex existed on top of the pyramid and was used as a residence. This is very unusual since, in the Moche world, pyramids were used for burial and rituals, not living. The complex contains a kitchen, domestic rooms, corridors and patios. Perhaps the strangest discovery was a bin where guinea pigs were kept. Archaeologists can tell that they were kept there because of the preserved feces. 

Murals were painted in the corridors which depict motifs. These include a Moche warrior holding a club, a cactus, a rainbow and two mountain peaks.

Burials were found at the pyramid. Beneath a platform three complete burials, of adolescent girls, were found. Their feet were close together suggesting that they may have been bound. Their knees were charred, indicating that they were ritually burnt. The researchers cannot say for sure that these girls were human sacrifices. Skeletal analysis found no evidence of wounds that would have killed them.

To the south of the pyramid archaeologists have found a large number of copper artefacts including spatulas, knives, smelting receptacles and ornaments. It appears that copper working played a major role at this site. The closest large-scale copper resources are nearly 200 kilometres to the east, suggesting that the people of Huaca Colorada engaged in long distance trade.

It’s estimated the population of Huaca Colorada was a few thousand people. Most of the people would have lived in housing away from the pyramid.