The Killing of Captives by the Moche of Northern Coastal Peru: Veneration or Violation?

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Ritual Violence and Human Sacrifice in the Ancient Andes: New Directions in the Field" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Archaeological and Bioarchaeological data and a rich iconographic tradition provide complementary perspectives on the taking and killing of captives by the Moche (c. AD 200-900). While these practices clearly had important ritual aspects, there continues to be debate over the source of captives and their social identities (warfare or ritual combat; local elites or enemies) and the significance of such practices (ritual sacrifice or sanctioned killing; religious or political motivations) in Moche culture. While known best from excavations at major ceremonial centers such as the Pyramids of Moche, the killing of captives has been identified more recently at smaller centers in the Moche and other north coast valleys. Key elements for identifying sacrificed captives include their demographic profile (young adult males); ropes around the neck, wrists, or ankles; lethal perimortem injuries; and the context and manner of disposal of their remains. The latter includes denial of proper burial, commingling of bodies, dismemberment, mutilation and other indications of disrespect for the victims. This presentation will focus on postmortem manipulation and disposal of bodies as a key element in interpreting these practices and distinguishing them from other forms of ritual sacrifice in ancient Peru.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Ritual Violence and Human Sacrifice in the Ancient Andes: New Directions in the Field   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 38480.0