Huaca del Sol
The Huaca del Sol, meaning "Temple of the Sun," is a significant archaeological site located on the north coast of Peru, where the Moche River meets the Pacific Ocean. It is the largest adobe structure in the Americas and features a stepped pyramid design, although much of its structural detail has been lost due to sea erosion and historical events. Built by the Moche civilization, which flourished from the first to the eighth centuries CE, this site is thought to have served various purposes, including potential solar and lunar worship, as well as ceremonial rites such as funerary practices and human sacrifice.
Adjacent to the Huaca del Sol is the smaller Huaca de la Luna, suggesting a cultural connection between the two sites. The Huaca del Sol has also suffered significant damage due to the actions of Spanish conquistadores, who diverted the local river to extract gold, further erasing elements of the Moche's rich history. The decline of the Moche civilization, possibly influenced by climate changes, eventually led to the rise of the Chimú culture in the region. Today, the Huaca del Sol stands as a testament to the complexities of pre-Columbian civilizations in the Americas, inviting further exploration into its historical and cultural significance.
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Subject Terms
Huaca del Sol
Related civilizations: Moche, Chimubegan.
Date: 200 b.c.e.-700 c.e.
Locale: Andes, north coastal Peru
Huaca del Sol
Where the Moche River empties into the Pacific Ocean are two sites. One, the Huaca de la Luna (temple of the Moon), sits on the edge of a burial ground. The other, the Huaca del Sol (WAH-kah dehl sohl; temple of the Sun) sits across from it. Some scholars speculate that these temples were used for solar or lunar worship or calculation; others speculate that the temples were used for funerary rites and human sacrifice.
The Huaca del Sol is the largest adobe structure in the Americas. It is a stepped pyramid, but structural details are lacking partly because of sea erosion. A second, smaller pyramid appears to top the summit, along with a small upper tier. Further damage was done by Spanish conquistadores, who diverted the local river to flow through the temple and flush it of its gold. Also flushed was much of the history of the people who built this marvelous monument.
The Moche culture built the Huaca del Sol. They lived on the desolate deserted north coast of Peru from the first through the eighth centuries c.e. They were one of the largest pre-Columbian civilizations in the Americas. For unknown reasons, perhaps major changes in the climate, another group, the Chimubegan, eventually began to dominate the area, and the Moche people disappeared until modern times.
Bibliography
Bawden, Garth. The Moche. Cambridge, England: Blackwell, 1996.
Benson, Elizabeth P. The Mochica: A Culture of Peru. New York: Praeger, 1972.
Donnan, Christopher B. Moche Occupation of the Santa Valley, Peru. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1973.