Sipán is a Moche

Moche

'The Moche civilization flourished in northern Peru from about 100 AD to 800 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...

 archaeological site in northern Peru

Peru

Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....

 that is famous for the tomb of El Señor de Sipán

Lord of Sipán

The Lord of Sipán is the name of a mummy of an elite man found in Sipán by Peruvian archaeologist Walter Alva in 1987. The tomb is in Sipán's Huaca Rajada, an area in Chiclayo.The Lord of Sipán tomb is a Moche culture site in Peru...

(Lord of Sipán), excavated by Walter Alva

Walter Alva

Walter Alva , full name is Walter Alva Alva, is a Peruvian archaeologist, specializing in the study and excavation of the prehistoric Moche culture. Alva is noted for two major finds: the tomb of the Lord of Sipan and related people in 1987, and 2007.-Early life and education:Alva was born on 28...

  and his wife Susana Meneses. It is considered to be one of the most important archaeological discoveries in the last 30 years, because the main tomb was found intact and undisturbed by thieves. Tombs were found in Sipán's Huaca Rajada, an area near Chiclayo

Chiclayo

Chiclayo is the capital city of the Lambayeque region in northern Peru. It is located 13 kilometers inland from the Pacific coast and 770 kilometers from the nation's capital, Lima...

. Many huaca

Huaca

In Quechua, a Native American language of South America, a huaca or waqa is an object that represents something revered, typically a monument of some kind. The term huaca can refer to natural locations, such as immense rocks. Some huacas have been associated with veneration and ritual...

were found showing Moche jewelry, masks, and art. The tomb of the Lord of Sipan has been dated to around 100 AD.

The tombs in the area are of adobe

Adobe

Adobe is a natural building material made from sand, clay, water, and some kind of fibrous or organic material , which the builders shape into bricks using frames and dry in the sun. Adobe buildings are similar to cob and mudbrick buildings. Adobe structures are extremely durable, and account for...

 construction, of pyramidal shape, now eroded by successive El Niño events. Excavations continue. A mock-up of the Lord of Sipan's tomb, complete with replica head-dress, breastplates and other grave goods, is open to visitors. A reconstruction of the Lord of Sipan in his regalia is on view in the Archaeological Museum of Lima, Peru.

It is believed that, as with ancient Egyptians, the people placed grave goods, including the remains of servants, to ensure survival of the elite into the afterlife. Also discovered were hundreds of small clay pots with individual faces, understood to be offerings made by the lord's subjects.

Several dozens of such Moche tombs likely existed at one time, but almost all known tombs on the coast of Peru have been looted. This looting has occurred since at least the Spanish colonial period. Documented colonial mining laws stipulated how "looting rights" were to be determined. In modern times, the government has declared looting illegal, although it is still widely practiced. The archaeological sites are so numerous that law enforcement numbers are often insufficient to protect them.