San Jose de Moro

San Jose de Moro is a Moche ceremonial funerary complex in the Jequetepeque Valley of northwestern Peru, active between 400 and 1000 AD. Excavations since 1991, led by Luis Jaime Castillo of Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru, have uncovered eight elite Moche priestess chamber burials accompanied by elaborate grave goods including ceremonial knives, silver goblets, and fine ceramics. These discoveries fundamentally changed understanding of Moche society, establishing that women held significant religious and political authority. The site contains three burial types: pit tombs, boot-shaped tombs, and chamber burials, along with large spaces for chicha production and feasting.