El Brujo

El Brujo is a Moche archaeological complex in the Chicama Valley, La Libertad, Peru, occupied from preceramic times through the colonial period. The site gained international fame in 2005 with the discovery of the Lady of Cao, a Moche female leader who died around 500 AD at age 25, whose tomb contained crowns, diadems, and ceremonial clubs -- the first evidence that women held elite power in Moche society. Her tattooed body bore images of snakes and spiders, suggesting involvement in spiritual-religious authority. The complex includes Huaca Prieta and the stepped pyramid of Huaca Cao Viejo.