Parte Ingles

Politico:

Moche political organization became increasingly complex over time. At the onset Moche society was probably organized at the complex chiefdom level. Its political unity was maintained by an elaborate ritual system dominated by prestigious priestly elite in which the Huaca de la Luna played a fundamental role. Towards the end of Moche phase III the priestly elite based its power on a centralized structure, supported by a group of administrators and warriors that allowed the rulers to control a vast territory. At this time Moche social organization had probably reached the level of a theocratic state.

Economic:

The Moche civilization had two economic pillars. Their brilliant farming expertise harnessed mountain runoff and fertile soils with large irrigation systems capable of producing substantial grain surpluses and acres of cotton for their fine textiles. The floodplains of the Lambayeque, Moche, and other coastal valleys formed green patchwork quilts of closely packed irrigated fields, nourished by long canals. Thousands of hours of cultivation, ditch digging, and maintenance went into the Moche field systems. However, everything depended on careful sharing of mountain runoff, an annual gift in the hands of the spiritual world. The second pillar was a bountiful Pacific. Coastal upwelling brought swarms of anchovy to feed, and Moche fisherfolk in their reed boats harvested millions of anchovy throughout the year. They dried whole fish in the sun or ground their catch into nutritious fish meal. Thousands of kilograms of protein-rich fish meal traveled from the coast to amplify the carbohydrate diet of highland farmers far inland. The anchovy, by helping to support a large nonagricultural population, was of vital economic importance to the Moche.

Social:

The most important people, especially the priests and warriors, were members of the urban classes and lived closest to the large ceremonial pyramids and other temples. They were surrounded by a middle class of artisans and then, in descending order: farmers and fishermen, servants, slaves and beggars. The priests and warriors were both honored and obeyed. They are the people most frequently shown in ceramics, which depict them being carried in litters wearing particularly fine jewelry or clothing. Their authority is evident from pots showing scenes of punishment, including the mutilation and death of those who dared to disobey.

Citas y Referencias Bibliográficas:
http://mc.maricopa.edu. (Ref: 28/09/06). http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/dept/d10/asb/anthro2003/legacy/moche/el_nino_2.html
http://huaca.com. Socio-Political Organization. (Ref: 28/09/06). http://www.huacas.com/page30.htm
http://travelvantage. (Ref: 28/09/06). http://www.travelvantage.com/per_moch.html

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-.Glosario.-

Afterlife = Resto de la vida
Average = Promedio
Behind = Detrás
Bone and stone = Hueso y piedra.
Burial = Entierro
Cache = Escondite
Cane = Bastón
Century = siglo
Coffin = Ataúd
Efforts = Esfuerzo
Ensuing = sucediendo
Earplugs = Orejeras
Feet = Pies
Found = encuentre
Gravelooters = graves saqueadores
Gilded = Dorado
Handicrafts = Artes Manuales
Headdresses = Tocados
Knives = Cuchillos
Looting = Saqueandolying = quedando
Necklaces = Collares
Phase = fase
Quality = Calidad
Rewarded = premiado
Rubble = cascote
researchers = investigadores
Richly = Ricamente
Nobility = nobleza
Several = varios
Shields = Escudos
Shell = Cáscara
Shortly = Brevemente
Slaughtering = Matando
Split = Raja

Sumptuous = Suntuoso

Tombs = tumbas
upwards = más de
Yielded = rendido

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-.Sipan and Huaca Rajada.-

In February 1987, shortly after the police found prehispanic handicrafts of the finest quality in the hands of local gravelooters or huaqueros, archaeologists decided to have a closer look at one small platform on the west side of the archaeological site called “Huaca Rajada” (Split “Huaca” or Adobe Ruin), close to the modern village of Sipan. Their efforts were richly rewarded with the first of several ensuing discoveries of spectacular tombs of the Moche nobility.

Construction of the adobe pyramid that yielded the renowned "Royal Tombs of Sipan" was begun during the first century AD; the sixth and last phase of major construction was completed about three centuries later. Even during the clearing of rubble left behind by some initial looting of the site, sumptuous objects began coming to light. The looters had left behind ceramics, metal masks, metal earplugs, and even an elaborate royal scepter.

So far, researchers have excavated three major tombs of spectacular contents, and many other minor burials also have been found all through the platform. The first major discovery, Tomb 1, was uncovered shortly after excavators found an enormous cache of 1,137 ceramic pots, which overlay the skeleton of a man in sitting position. This position was unusual because the Moche normally buried their dead lying flat and facing upwards. Later, the researchers nicknamed this man "The Guardian" because his feet had been cut off, perhaps to prevent him from leaving his position, and because of his position above (i.e. guarding) the tomb of "The Lord of Sipan".

The burial of this prominent Moche leader, which represents an extremely complex archaeological find, has been carbon-dated to 290 AD. It includes many dedicatory offerings that were to accompany him in his afterlife, as well as all the items of clothing and insignia that marked his high status, and other items considered necessary to protect him in the world of the dead.

This “Lord of Sipan” was 5’4” tall and died of an undetermined illness at 35-45 years of age, within the average life expectancy of the Moche population. He was buried in a wooden coffin with full regalia, including pectoral shields made of shell, bone and stone, several blankets adorned with ornate, gilded, copper platelets, two necklaces of very fine metalwork, feather ornaments, headdresses and three sets of earspools inlaid with turquoise. Also buried with him were many ceremonial utensils such as tropical sea shells of the genera Spondylus and Conus, silver and gold rattles, knives, golden death-masks, and a scepter-like object shaped like an inverted pyramid held in his right hand. His coffin takes up the central position in the burial chamber, which has additional burial niches on all sides. Six other individuals were buried in the tomb with him: a 9-10-year-old child placed at the head of his coffin, two robust men on the long sides but in opposite orientations, and three 15-25-year-old women at the head and foot of his coffin. Their coffins were made of cane. Some of these individuals had had a foot removed, and the robust men, possibly warriors, may even have been ritually sacrificed on the occasion of the burial of the Lord. The young women, however, appear to have been long dead by the time the tomb was built and hence most likely were reburied at the time the Lord was laid to rest. The funerary ritual included the slaughtering of a dog and two lamas and the deposition of several dozen vessels that probably contained food and drink. The lamas were placed at the bottom of the chamber and the offerings in specially constructed niches in the sides of the rectangular chamber.