A Moche cemetery at Masanca, Jequetepeque Valley, Peru

Author(s): Christopher B. Donnan

Reviewed work(s):
Source: Ñawpa Pacha: Journal of Andean Archaeology, No. 28 (2006), pp. 151-193
Published by: Left Coast Press, Inc.
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27977832 .
Accessed: 13/04/2012 23:29

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .
http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of
content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms
of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].

Left Coast Press, Inc. is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Ñawpa Pacha:
Journal of Andean Archaeology.

http://www.jstor.org
 A Moche cemetery at Masanca,

Jequetepeque Valley, Peru

Christopher B. Donnan

In 1997, a Moche cemetery was looted at the town ofMasanca, in the lower Jequetepeque Valley of northern
Peru. Subsequently, a salvage excavation of what remained of this cemeteryproduced a sample of 21 unlooted
graves. These provide important
new
information about Moche burial practices, and the 96 ceramic vessels
recoveredfrom the excavation constitute a valuable type collection ofMoche ceramics?both domestic ware and
ware. Moreover, since many of thegraves appear to have been accidentally disturbed by theMoche people
fine
when they buried other individuals in this cemetery, the buriak provide interesting insights about the attitudes
material from burials.
of theMoche people toward disturbing and/or removing

1977y un cementerio en el pueblo de Masanca, en el valle en el norte del Per?, fue

En bajo de Jequetepeque,
excavaci?n de rescate de lo de este cementerio muestras de 21 tumbas que
saqueado. Una que quedaba produjo
nueva e Moche. Las 96
no
fueron tocadas. Estas dan informaci?n importante sobre las pr?cticas funerarias
se recuperaron en esta excavaci?n constituyen una colecci?n invaluable de cer?micasMoche, tanto de
vasijas que
casero como de tipofino. Aparte de esto, ya que muchas de estas tumbas parec?an haber sido perturbadas
tipo
involuntariamente por los mismos Moche cuando enterraron a otros individuos en el cementerio, los entierros
nos una losMoche en cuanto a extracci?n de
facilitan mejor comprensi?n sobre U postura de perturbaci?n y/o
materiales de los entierros.

Introduction began
an intensive
looting of the
area
by local people,
as well as
by grave robbers from other communities
The town ofMasanca is located approximately in the lower Jequetepeque Valley. The looting was
6.5 kilometers northwest of San Pedro de Lloc most intensive between January and March of 1997,

(Figure 1). In January, 1997,

a water
pipe
was
being but continued intermittently inApril, May, and June.

installed along the north side ofMasanca in order to By Julyof thatyear,when we firstlearnedof the
distribute water from a reservoir to the houses lo nearlyall of ithad been dug through
lootedcemetery,
cated along the northwest part of the community multiple times by the grave robbers. There were,
two
(Figure 2). In the process
of excavating a trench for however, parcels of privately owned property
thepipe, theheavymachinerydug throughseveral to the looted area that could
immediately adjacent
burials, revealing abundant associated ceramics. This contain additional graves. The one on the southwest,

B. Donnan. ofAnthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1553, [email protected]

Christopher Department
 ?awpa Pacha 28

Figure 1.Map of the lower Jequetepeque valley.

Figure 2. Map of the town,Masanca.

was was
owned by theMendoza family, being used for second property, owned by the Roque family,
raising chickens (Figure 3). When the looting be located along the southeast margin of the looted area.

gan, Mr. Mendoza refused to allow grave robbers on It was already enclosed by
an adobe wall when the
his property, and even constructed an adobe wall looting began, and grave robbers were not allowed
to out. The to search for burials.
along the northwest side of it keep them inside thewall

152
 Donn?n: A Moche at Masanca
cemetery

Figure 3. Area of investigation.

Since no looting had taken on either the There was no evidence of grave architecture?neither
place
Mendoza or
Roque property, and both owners were adobe or stone walls, nor remains of roof beams. The
willing to allow us to excavate, these two areas be individuals appeared to have been buried in shallow
came the focus of a
salvage excavation. The Instituto pits, but none of these was sufficiently intact so that
Nacional de Cultura inTrujilloprovideda Credencial the orientation of the
body could be reconstructed.
to authorize the project. Alana The area where graves had been looted had no
Cordy-Collins par
ticipated in the excavation, and determined the sex ancient architecture, nor was there any midden; it
and age of the buried individuals from
analysis of appears to have been used exclusively as a cemetery.
the skeletal remains. JeisenNavarro also Moreover, all the ceramics on the surface and all those
participated
in the excavation, and
produced some of the maps recovered from the looted grave pits were Moche
style
and drawings of the burials and their associated arti
(Figure 4), suggesting that the cemetery was utilized
facts. The drawings of the ceramics were
completed onlyduring thisperiod.
by Percy Fiestas.
Excavation

Preliminary Investigation
A total of 11 trenches was excavated. Four were on,
Before the excavation we made a or
began, study of the to, the property owned by theMendoza
adjacent
looted area on the surface were
(Figure 3). Objects family (Figure 5). Trench 1, located one meter south
collected, and some of the looters' pits were cleaned west of thewall Mr. Mendoza built along the north
to determine the depth and orientation of the looted east of his was 40 meters long and
margin property,
graves. Although numerous ceramic fragments were 50 centimeters wide. Four graves were encountered
collected, almost no metal was found, either on the in this trench (Graves 1, 2, 4, and 5), one of
only
surface of the cemetery or in
cleaning the looted which (Grave 1) was undisturbed. The other three
burials. Human skeletal remains were very
poorly pre had been disturbed long ago, presumablyby the
served, and only small fragments could be recovered. Moche peoplewhen theydug gravepits toburyother
All of the looted graves
appeared to be less than people. All four graves inTrench 1were found in the
two meters in
depth; most were less than 1.4 meters. southeast half of the trench. The northwest half (not

153
 ?awpa Pacha 28

10
cm

Figure 4. Ceramics from the surfaceof the cemetery.

shown on Figure 5) did not contain graves; itmay be found farther to the northwest. Nograves were
have been outside of the cemetery since itcorresponds found anywhere inTrench 3, which suggests that the

closely to the border of the looted

area on the other southwest border of the cemetery was somewhere
side of thewall. between Trench 1 and Trench 3.
Trench 2, located one meter northeast of the Trench 4 was in alignment with Trench 1, but
Mendoza wall, measured 20 meters long and 50 cen farther to the southeast (Figure 5). Itwas tenmeters
were found
timeters wide (Figure 5). Only one grave (Grave 3) long and 50 centimeters wide. Five graves
was found in this trench, but it had been disturbed in this trench (Graves 6-10). Three of these (Graves
in ancient times and its contents were scattered. 6, 7, and 8) were undisturbed. Grave 9 appeared to
Trench 3, located 14 meters southwest of the have been disturbed in ancient times, and the lower
were to have
Mendoza wall (Figure 5), was
eight
meters
long and legs and feet missing. Grave 10 appeared
50 centimeters wide. Itwas deliberately made shorter been disturbed when the burial chamber of Grave 8
than Trench 1 on the assumption that the border of was created.

the cemetery probably curved to the south in this Since Trenches 1-4 seemed to be on the south
area, and thus itwas unlikely that any graves would ern area north of them
edge of the cemetery, and the

154
 Donn?n: A Moche cemetery at Masanca

Trench 1 continues 18 meters 7, which was 10meters long and 50 centimeters wide.
ftfepoint r?
beyond Mendoza Two of these(Graves12 and 13)were badlydisturbed
Vitall in ancient times and only the crania and a few scat
tered bones remained. Grave 14 appeared to be un
01 disturbed. Trench 8 was 10.5 meters long and 50
centimeters wide. Only one grave (Grave 15) was
found in Trench 8. The lower legs and feet of the
individual were missing, but the other parts were
Trench 3
65% undisturbed.

(MW Nograves were found inTrench 9 (Figure 6),

Trench 2 which was fourmeters long and 50 centimeters wide.
Trench 1 Four graves (Graves 16, 17, 19, and 21) were found
inTrench 10, which was sixmeters long and 75 cen

21 timeters wide. Grave 21 was disturbed in ancient

times, but the other three appeared to be intact.Two
graves (Graves 18 and 20) were found inTrench 11,
which was sixmeters long and 75 centimeters wide.
Mendoza
Both appeared to be undisturbed.
Property

The Burial Sample

G7 G6i In the grave descriptions and illustrations in this sec

tion, the following letter designations will be used:
Limitof
Trench 4 Looted Area C = ceramic object
M = metal object
= bone
object
/ SW = spindlewhorl
S = shell object
Figure 5. Plan of theMendoza property showing the
location of Trenches 1-4. The ceramic vessels were all oxidation fired, and
thus are either white or orange to brownish red in
color. In the drawings they are coded with the shad
was
extensively looted, it seemed unlikely that any ing illustrated in Figure 7, showing the surfaces that
more unlooted graves could be found in this area. were or were
unslipped, painted with red slip, white
Therefore, we moved the excavation inside thewalls slip,
or
organic black pigment. Some of the ceramic
of the Roque property (see Figure 3). There a total of spindle whorls are oxidation fired (redware), while
seven trenches was excavated?Trenches 5, 6, 7, and others are reduction fired (blackware). The spindle
8 in a corral, and Trenches 9, 10, and 11 in a duck whorls are not coded with this shading shown in Fig

pen (Figure6). ure 7, but the color of each

spindle whorl (redware
Trench 5 was 12.5 meters long and 50 centi
or blackware),
along with itsweight, is provided in
meters wide grave (Grave 11) was
(Figure 6). One the burial descriptions.
found in this trench. The feet of the individual were Depth from surface is the distance from present
disturbed in ancient times but the other parts were ground surface
to the floor of the grave pit.
intact.No graves were found inTrench 6, which was The term
ofrenda (or ofrendas) refers
to small,
12.5 meters long and 50 centimeters wide. Three crudely made ceramic vessels resembling cooking ollas
graves (Graves 12, 13, and 14) were found inTrench or
jars (Figure 8). They are unpainted, unburnished,

155
 ?awpa Pacha 28

and have an orange to buff color. They are shown in corner of each illustration indicates the grave
right
the grave drawings, but not illustrated individually and ceramic number?e.g., G7 C2 illustrates Ce

among the associated objects. ramic 2 from Grave 7; X C2 illustrates Ceramic 2

A selection of the excavated ceramics is illus thatwas not associated with a grave.
trated in Figures 9 and 10. The notation in the lower

Trenchft
E
Trench5 Q11
Tranche
G14 Trench 10 ?rt4?
mm
XCr Trench7
?(^20/\Trench11
Straw G15 Trench8 XC2XC3
Orchard

Corral Duck Pen

Roque Home

-
-lie

V
Figure 6. Plan of theRoque property showing the location of graves inTrenches 5?11.

156
 Donn?n: Moche at Masanca
cemetery

Unslipped (paste color)

Red slip

White slip

Organic black pigment

on ceramic drawings.
Figure 7. Shading used

157
 ?awpa Pacha 28

Figure 9.

158
Donn?n: A Moche cemeteryatMasanca

159
 ?awpa Pacha 28

Grave 1

Location: Trench 1

Depth from surface: 80 centimeters

Sex: Female

Age: 25+
Associated artifacts: Five ceramic vessels (C1-C5),
four of which (C2-C5) were ofrendas

o 5

.
Figure 11. Grave

160
 Donn?n: A Moche at M as anca
cemetery

Grave 2 Comments: This burial was disturbed in ancient times

and only part of the lower right legwas recovered,
Location: Trench 1
a ceramic vessel that had been placed at
along with
80 centimeters
Depth from surface: the feet.
Sex: Unknown

Age: Adult
Associated artifacts: One ceramic vessel (Cl)

A C1

161
 ?awpa Pacha 28

Grave 3 Middle level (Fig. 14): Seven ceramic vessels

(C1-C7), six ofwhich (Cl, C3-C7) were ofrendas.

Location: Trench 2
There were also miscellaneous sherds and human
Depth from surface: 70 centimeters
bone fragments.
Sex: Female (?) Lower level (Fig. 15): Seven ceramic vessels (Cl
Age: Adult C7), six of which (C2-C7) were ofrendas. There
Associated artifacts: was also one sherd of a
single spout bottle (Cl),
Upper level (Fig. 13): Six ceramic vessels (Cl and two ceramic spindle whorls (SW1, blackware,
C6), twoofwhich (C3, C4) were ofrendas.
There
3.9 gr.; SW2, blackware, 4.5 gr.).
were also miscellaneous sherds, including a jar neck Comments: The grave was badly disturbed in an
(C5) and a fragmentof the chamberof a bottle cient times, and material was scattered both hori
not
made clay (C6). The latter,which is
of white
itwas excavated and
zontally and vertically. Thus
illustrated, has some relief on its outer
modeling recorded in three distinct levels. The upper and
surface.
middle levelmaterial was clearly out of its original
position. The lower level had some material in its

originalposition, includingthe individuals leftleg

and the lower part of the right leg, along with one

spindlewhorl (SW1) and six ofrendas (C2-C7).

There was also a second spindle whorl (SW2) and
a ceramic bottle on this level, but
fragment (Cl)
to be out of their
they appeared original position.

L-1 , in . i i_J? ?40

 Donn?n: Moche cemetery at Masanca

15. Grave 3, lower level.

Figure

163
 ?awpa Pacha 28

Grave 4 Comments: The grave was disturbed in ancient times,

and only some of the associated ceramics remained.
Location: Trench 1
These all appeared to be out of their original posi
Depth from surface: 64 centimeters
tion.
Sex: Unknown

Age: Unknown
Associated artifacts: Six ceramic vessels (C1-C6), four
of which (C3-C6) were ofrendas. There was also
one sherd (C7, not illustrated).

C6

50
l'ail*'
citi

Figure 16. Grave 4.

164
 Donn?n: A Moche cemetery at Masanca

Grave 5

Location: Trench 1

Depth from surface: 130 centimeters

Sex: Probably male

Age: Adult
Associated artifacts:
seventeen
Eighteen ceramic vessels (Cl?C18),
of which were ofrendas.
One copper lance point (Ml, 244.5 gr.with soil
fill)
One copper tweezers (M2, 2.5 gr.)
One camelid cranium (Bl).
Comments: The grave was disturbed in ancient times,

leaving only the lower legs, the copper lance point

(Ml), and the ceramic vessels (C1-C13) in their
was
original position. The camelid cranium, which
at the head end of the grave, may have also been in
its original position.

Figure 17a. Grave 5.

165
 ?awpa Pacha 28

Figure 17b. Grave 5.

166
 Donn?n: A Moche at Masanca
cemetery

Grave 6 Comments: The grave was very close to, and at nearly
the same depth as, Grave 7 but there was no evi
Location: Trench 4
dence to indicate that the two individuals were
Depth from surface: 105 centimeters
buried at the same time.Three large, irregular
stones
Sex: Male
along the south side of the body may have been
Age: Adult, there as part of the burial ritual.
placed
Associated artifacts: One ceramic vessel (Cl)

0 5
T 1 1 1 ' 1 1
'cin1

Figure 18. Grave 6.

167
 ?awpa Pacha 28

Grave 7 Associated artifacts: Four ceramic vessels (C1-C4).

One ear ornaments. One
pair of copper (Ml,
Location: Trench 4
0.8 gr.) was at the right ear, and the other (M2, 0.5
Depth from surface: 110 centimeters
gr., incomplete) was at the left ear.
Sex: Female
Copper ingot(M3,4.1 gr.) inrightsideofmouth
Age: 18-32
Copper sheet (M4, 2.8 gr.) in leftsideofmouth
One stone spindle whorl (SW1, 1.3 gr.)

SW1

' 50
1_L_
cm

01. 5 10
I
cm

Figure 19a. Grave 7.

168
 Donn?n: A Moche cemetery at Masanca

Grave 8 One nose ornament (M3, 0.7 gr.,

gilded copper
on front of maxilla
Location: Trench 4 incomplete)
One camelid cranium (Bl)
Depth from surface: 95 centimeters A fewbones of a smallcanine (B2)
Sex: Male
Comments: When this grave pit was dug in ancient
Age: 28+ timesmost of the skeleton ofGrave 10was removed.
Associated artifacts: Thirteen ceramic vessels
(CI Parts of this skeleton were put back into the grave
CIS), twelve of which (C2-C13) were ofrendas.
on top of Grave 8. The ofrenda located
Two chunks of copper, possibly two halves of a pit, just
below theknees ofGrave 8 (G10 C2) and thece
single ingot.One (Ml, 7.6 gr.)was in the right ramicvesselnear the skullofGrave 10 (G10 Cl)
side of mouth, and the other (M2, 7.2 gr.) was in
were associated with Grave 10.
the leftsideofmouth. probably

Figure 20a. Grave 8.

169
 ?awpa Pacha 28

Figure 20b. Grave 8.

170
 Donn?n: A Moche cemetery at Masanca

Grave 9 Comments: This grave was disturbed in ancient times,

and the feet are missing. The grave was close to,
Location: Trench 4
and at nearly the same depth as, Graves 8 and 10,
Depth from surface: 90 centimeters
but there isno evidence to indicate that any of these
Sex: Female
individuals were buried at the same time. A large
Age: 15-18 stone on the south side of the torso may
Associated artifacts: One ceramic vessel (Cl) irregular
have been placed there as part of the burial ritual.
One pair of copper ear ornaments. One of the
1.4 was at the left ear, and one (M2,
pair (Ml, gr.)
0.5 gr., incomplete) was at the right ear.
One necklace (Si) consisting of eleven shell beads
(five tubular and six disc-shaped)

Figure 21a. Grave 9.

171
?awpa Pacha 28

172
 Donn?n: Moche at Masanca
cemetery

Grave 10 Comments: grave was disturbed when

This the pit
forGrave 8 was dug. The skeleton of Grave 10 was
Location: Trench 4
still articulated at that time, with
the bones par
Depth from surface: 95 centimeters
tially connected by soft tissue.When the body and
Sex: Male
associated objects of Grave 8 were put in place, and
Age: 18+ the grave was being filled, portions of the skeleton
Associated artifacts: Two ceramic vessels (Cl, C2),
of Grave 10were included in thefill alongwith
one of which was an ofrenda.
one ofrenda(G 10C2) and one ceramicvessel (G10
Plant remains (seaweed?) inside Cl
Cl) that probably came from Grave 10.

173
 ?awpa Pacha 28

Grave 11 Associated artifacts: Six ceramic vessels (C1-C6),

three of which (C4-C6) were ofrendas, and two
Location: Trench 5
sherds(C7 and C8)
Depth from surface: 80 centimeters One copper tweezers (Ml, 1.5 gr.)
Sex: Unknown
Comments: The grave was disturbed in ancient times
Age: 1.5-2 years
in the area of the lower legs. Ceramics in this area
would also have been disturbed, and it is likely that
^C5
C3, C4, C5, and C6 were moved from their origi
nal position near the feet. C8 may be a sherd of
ce(D
another vessel thatwas near the feet. C7 (not illus
trated) is a sherd that appears to have been
placed
as a lid over themouth of C2.

M1

50
our
?_u

C8

?
6 1.0
' era
Figure 23. Grave 11.

174
 Donn?n: A Moche at Masanca
cemetery

Grave 12 Comments: The grave was disturbed in ancient times

and most of thematerial west of the head was miss
Location: Trench 7
to be in its
ing. Cl appears original position, but
Depth from surface: 93 centimeters
C2 was probably moved during the disturbance.
Sex: Unknown
C3 and C4 may be fragments of other vessels that
Age: 4?5 years were in the grave. The copper in the
originally
Associated objects: Two ceramic vessels (Cl, C2) and
mouth (Ml) appears to have been a large needle
two sherds (C3, C4, not illustrated)
with a rectangular cross section that was deliber
One copper piece (Ml, 3.4 gr.) in the mouth,
ately broken into three pieces.
broken into three parts

so
?I

0 5 10
1 I I I I _t I l?J_L

-OS

M1

??'-j*i-'?*

Figure 24. Grave 12.

175
 ?awpa Pacha 28

Grave 13 Comments: The grave was disturbed in ancient times,

and nearly all of its contents are missing. Only the
Location: Trench 7
cranium remains of the skeleton, and it appears to
Depth from surface: 93 centimeters have been moved from its original position.
Sex: Female

Age: 18-25
Associated objects: One ceramic spindle whorl (SW1,
redware, 5.8 gr.)
Copper inmouth (no metal recoverable)

176
 Donn?n: A Moche cemetery at Masanca

Grave 14

Location: Trench 7

Depth from surface: 90 centimeters

Sex: Male

Age: 35
Associated objects: Two ceramic vessels (Cl, C2)
Copper sheet (Ml, 5.2 gr.) in righthand
Copper sheet (M2, 5.5 gr.) inmouth
Copper sheet (M3, 2 gr.) in lefthand
Young camelidbone fragments(Bl)

Figure 26a. Grave 14.

177
 Pacha
_?awpa 28_

Figure 26b. Grave 14.

178
 Donn?n: A Moche at Masanca
cemetery

Grave 15 Associated objects:One ceramicvessel (Cl)

One fragmentof sheetcopper (Ml, 0.7 gr.) ift
Location: Trench 8
righthand
Depth from surface:110 centimeters
Sex: Female
Copper stain(M2) on bonesof left
hand (nometal
recoverable)
Age: 35+ Comments: The grave was disturbed in ancient times
in thearea of the lowerlegs.

0 60
I-1- -I
cm

0 S 10
i? II ? ? ?I
ejj-j?

T?r
Figute 27. Grave 15.

179
 ?awpa Pacha 28

Grave 16

Location: Trench 10

Depth from surface: 80 centimeters

Sex: Unknown

Age: Juvenile
Associated objects: One ceramic vessel (Cl)

180
 A Moche
Donn?n: cemetery at Masanca

Grave 17

Location: Trench 10

Depth from surface: 80 centimeters

Sex: Unknown

Age: Juvenile
Associated objects: Three ceramic vessels (C1-C3)
One copperbell (Ml, 2.2 gr.)
One copper tweezers (M2, 3.6
gr.)
Gilded copper sheet (M3, 0.8 gr.) in righthand
Gilded copper sheet (M4, 0.5 gr.) in lefthand
Two shellpendants (Si, S2)
Small piece of pumice on chest, 3.0 gr.
Comments: Two irregular stones on the north side
of the grave may have been placed there as part of
the burial ritual.

C3 0

S1,S2 *M1

0 50
cm"

Figure 29a. Grave 17.

181
?awpa Pacha 28

182
 Donn?n: A Moche at Masanca
cemetery

Grave 18 Comments: The orientation of the body in this grave

isdistinct from that of all other burials in the sample.
Location: Trench 11
Instead of the head to east and feet to west, this
Depth from surface: 75 centimeters burial is in the opposite direction. It is also the only
Sex: Female
burial in the sample with a ceramic vessel placed
Age: 25+ on top of the to it.
body rather than adjacent
Associated objects: One ceramic vessel (Cl)

183
 ?awpa Pacha 28

Grave 19

Location: Trench 10

Depth from surface: 140 centimeters

Sex: Female

Age: Adult
Associated objects: Thirteen ceramic vessels (CI
CIS), ten of which (C3-C12) were ofrendas.
Comments: The grave was disturbed in ancient times,
torso and arms out of their
leaving the bones of the
original position.

Figure 31a. Grave 19.

184
 Donn?n: A Moche cemetery at Masanca

Figure 31b. Grave 19.

185
 ?awpa Pacha 28

Grave 20

Location: Trench 11

Depth from surface: 150 centimeters

Sex: Probably female

Age: 25+
Associated objects:
Two ceramic vessels (Cl, C2)
Eight ceramic spindle whorls: (SW1, redware,
6.4 gr.), (SW2, redware, 5.0 gr.), (SW3, redware,
5.5 gr.), (SW4, redware, 2.1 gr.), (SW5, redware,
6.3 gr.), (SW6, redware, 5.1 gr.), (SW7, redware,
2.0 gr.), and (SW8, blackware, 5.3 gr.)
Two shell spindlewhorls, (SW9, 4.6 gr.), (SW
10, 6.6 gr.)
One sheet of copper (Ml, 0.7 gr.) in themouth

186
 _Donn?n:
A Moche cemetery at Masanca_

'
?
o - s . io ?,.
- -" I i , >,.r itili
Gm

*, 1
Figure 33. Grave 20.

187
 ?awpa Pacha 28

Grave 21 Comments: The grave was disturbed in ancient times,

Location: 10 leaving only the cranium, right arm, and part of

Trench
the pelvis in their original position.
Depth from surface: 125 centimeters
Sex: Male

Age: Adult
Associated objects: One ceramic vessel (Cl)

o 5
till?I _l_ I I I?I?
cm

Figure 34. Grave 21.

188
 Donn?n: A Moche at Masanca
cemetery

not include any individuals younger than

sample did
In additionto the graves thatwere found in the 18 months. Given the
high infantmortality that has
eleven trenches that were excavated, three ceramic been recorded elsewhere for the Moche (Verano
vessels were found that had no clear burial affiliation 1997), the fact that no newborn infantswere found

(Figure35). Two (XCl, X C2) were found inTrench suggests that theywere not buried in this cemetery.
11 and theother (XC3) was found inTrench 7. Two
of thevessels (XCl andX C3) are similarto other Burial Patterns
vessels others found in graves and collected from the
The burial pattern in this cemetery is remarkably
looted area of the cemetery. The third vessel, a ped
consistent, and does not appear to vary according to
estal cup form with a face on the chamber (X C2), is
a person s age or sex. The bodies were
placed in shal
unique.
low pits that were between 64 and 150 centimeters
in depth. All were on their backs, with the ex
lying
ception of Grave 5 and Grave 20, which were par
Observations
tially on their leftand right side, respectively. All were
The individuals who were buried in the Masanca in an extended position, with the hands at the sides
cemetery appear to be commoners, and include adult or over the
pelvis, and the legs parallel to
one an
males and females as well as children. The burial other or, in one instance (Grave 6), crossed at the

x-c1

x-c2

0 $
1 lit
j^t

Figure 35. Ceramic vesselswithout burial association.

189
 ?awpa Pacha 28

knees. The heads faced up or to either side. 5, 8, and 19). Jarswere the second most common
The bodies of all but one individual were ex vessel form. Most jars had human, bird, or animal
tended on an east-west axis,with the head to thewest. faces modeled on their necks. Three of the jarswith
The exception (Grave 18) was also on an east-west human faces also had modeled arms, with at least
axis, but the head was to the east. It is difficult to one hand raised to touch the face (Grave 7 C4, Grave
determine why this burial was placed in the opposite 19 Cl, and Grave 20 Cl). These were found in three
direction from all the rest.One might postulate that different graves of adult females. Some of the jars
at the time of burial the body was a had one or two lugs on the upper part of the cham
wrapped in shroud
and, peoplemisidentifyingthehead and feetsimply ber, while others were plain. Five cooking ollas
were

placed it in the grave pit with thewrong orientation. found, one in Grave 4, and two in both Grave 11

However, one piece of evidence argues against this and Grave 17.

interpretation. There
was a strong
propensity to place The eye forms on themodeled ceramics exhibit
the finest and greatest number of ceramic vessels at considerable variation. They include coffee bean
the head of the individual, and if therewas only one (Grave 3 Cl, Grave 14 Cl, Grave 18 Cl), coffee

vessel, itwas invariably at the head (e.g., Graves 6, 9, bean with punctation (Grave 7 C4, Grave 17 Cl,
15, and 16). Grave 18 had only one ceramic vessel, Grave 20 C2), oval incised (Grave 7 C2), lenticular
which was placed near the head rather than the feet. incised (Grave 8 Cl, Grave 19 Cl, Grave 20 Cl),
This impliesthatthepeoplewho buriedthisindividual lenticular incised with punctation (Grave 19 C13)
knew where the head was, and were to modeled with punctation (Grave 9 C1, Grave 21 C1 ),
conforming
the custom of placing the ceramic vessel near it. If and modeled with circle and punctation (Grave 11
thiswas the case, theyknowingly buried this individual Cl). One of these forms, modeled with punctation,
in the opposite direction from what was customary. may correlate with the representation of birds. All
Grave 18 had two other unusual features. One the other eye forms are found on humans, and ap
was that the ceramic vessel was placed on top of the pear to occur randomly. Two types of eyes, oval in
to it. In all other burials in cised and coffee bean, occur on animal forms as well
body rather than adjacent
the sample, the ceramic vessels were placed along the as humans. In some cases (Graves 7, 19, 20) two
sides or ends of the body, generally in the area of the different eye formswere found on vessels in the same
head and feet. The other unusual feature was that grave, indicating the contemporaniety of eye forms.
the head was bent sharply so the chin rested on the Nearly all of the ceramics associated with buri
upper torso. This is the only instance in our sample als in this cemetery were domestic wares?cooking
of this head position. Itmay well have been acciden ollas and jars. These were generally unslipped, and

tal, and have gone unnoticed at the time of burial. It usually unburnished. This type of ceramic has been
may even have occurred afterburial, as the body shifted identified as Gallinazo style (Ubbelohde-Doering
during decomposition. Nevertheless,
it is unique in 1957; Shimada andMagui?a 1993), but it is simply
the burial sample, and could have been deliberate. the common domestic ware thatwas widely used on
the north coast of Peru during the Early Intermedi
ate Period (Donnan ms.).
Associated Artifacts Although ithas been found
in direct association with Gallinazo fine ware ceram
Ceramic vessels to have been
appear placed in ics (Bennett1939, 1950; Strongand Evans 1952) it
all of the graves, regardless of the sex or age of the has also been found in direct association with Moche
deceased. They were consistently placed upright, al fine ware ceramics (Donnan and McClelland 1997;
in some
instanced they were tilted to one Donnan 2001, 2003). Therefore, it should not be
though
side. They were nearly always placed around the head identified as either Gallinazo of Moche unless it is
and feet. Ofrendas were the most frequent vessel or Moche
directly associated with either Gallinazo
form, and were generally placed in clusters, each con fine ware. In theMasanca cemetery, itwas directly
to six ofrendas
sisting of from four (e.g., Graves 1, 3,

190
 Donn?n: A Moche cemetery at Masanca

associated with Moche fine ware. ten inGrave 20). All but three of the
spindle whorls
Five of theMoche fine ware vessels in the cem were ceramic. One was stone (Grave 7, SW 1) and

eterywere painted with a well prepared red slip and two were shell (Grave 20, SW 9 and SW 10).
were carefullyburnished.(G2 Cl, G3 Middle Level Beads were found only inGrave 9, the grave of
C2, G7 Cl andC2, andG19 Cl). In addition,one a young female.
They apparently formed
a necklace
were
smallbottle (G7Cl, Figure lOi) and two sherds consisting of five tubular and six disc beads of shell.
a
painted with well prepared white slip and carefully Pendants were recovered only from Grave 17?
burnished. One of the sherds, which was found on a were two
juvenile. There pendants, both of which
the surface of the looted area, was a portion of the were shell.
a
stirrup spout from stirrup spout bottle (Figure 4g). Animal bones were found in two of the graves.
The other, found in the upper level of Grave 3, was Grave 8, an adult male, contained a llama skull and
a a on
fragment of chamber with low reliefmodeling the bones of a small canine, and Grave 5, probably
its outer surface (G 3 C6, not illustrated). The latter also an adult male, contained a llama skull.
may have been from either a small jar or a stirrup Large irregular
stones were found in two graves
spout bottle. of adult males (Grave 6 and Grave 8). Two smaller
All of these fine ware ceramics are similar to the stones were found in the grave of a
irregular juvenile
fineware Moche ceramics found at La Mina (Narvaez (Grave 17). It could not be determined whether these
1993) and Dos Cabezas (Donn?n 2001, 2003). In stones were
deliberately placed
as part of the funeral
this regard, vessel Cl from Grave 19 (Figures 9a and ritual, or if theywere there from natural causes.
31) has two features that are found on elaborate ce
ramic vessels from La Mina and Dos Cabezas. One Ancient Disturbance
is the overall red slip with a geometric
design of tri
on the shoulder. The
angles, painted in white slip, Twelve of the twenty-one burials in the sample ex
other is the treatment of the eyebrows, indicated as hibited some degree of disturbance. This ranged from
rows of incised chevrons?a feature that is nearly minor disturbance of the feet (Grave 11 and Grave
universal in the portrayal of human
figures in both 15), to nearly a total mixing and/or removal of the
ceramic and metal objects at La Mina and Dos Cabezas. bones (Graves 12, 13, and 21). In Grave 4 all of the
We were told by the local people that several bones were missing and none of the associated ob
elaborate stirrup spout bottles were found by the grave jects appeared to be in its original position. In all
robbers who looted this cemetery prior to our exca cases, however, the soil around the bones and associ
vation. From the descriptions of these vessels, they ated objects was hard packed, in the same way that it
also appear to be like the fine ware Moche ceramics was around the undisturbed burials. It is clear, there
found at La Mina and Dos Cabezas. fore, that the disturbance occurred long ago, and was
was found in seven of the twenty-one not the result of recent or other ac
Copper looting digging
graves. It often consisted of amorphous chunks or tivity. It almost certainly occurred during the time
thin sheets thatwere placed in themouths or hands that the cemetery was in use, and resulted from the
of the deceased. There were very few copper imple ancient people continuing to to
dig grave pits bury
ments. Three graves, one of an adult (Grave 5), one other individuals. If thiswas the case, several obser
of a child (Grave 11), and one of a juvenile (Grave vations can be made.
17), each had a pair of tweezers. Two graves of adult (1) Since the severity of the disturbance, and
females (Grave 7 and Grave 9) had ear ornaments. the part of the grave effected, exhibited considerable
One graveof a juvenile(Grave 17) had a smallbell, variation, it is likely that itwas accidental and ran
and one grave of what was probably an adult male dom?as though the people
were unaware of the lo

(Grave 5) had a lance point. cation of previous graves. This

implies that either
were found in the graves of three therewere no grave markers to indicate the location
Spindle whorls
adult females (one in Grave 7, two in Grave 3, and of a grave, or the grave markers were of perishable

191
 ?awpa Pacha 28

material and disintegrated during the time that the (5) There is no indication that any effortwas
cemetery was still in use. Since parts of the skeleton made to rearrange the disturbed material to approxi
of Grave 10 were still held together with soft tissue mate its original position. Both the bones and ce
at the time itwas disturbed, itmust have been bur ramics thatwere moved during the disturbance were
ied for only a short period of time before the distur left scattered in the area or in soil that was used to
bance occurred. If there had been a grave marker backfillthepit.
above it that was made of perishable material, one
would expect it to have survived longer than the soft
tissue of the corpse below. Thus there probably were References Cited
no grave markers on the surface of the cemetery.
Bennett,Wendell C.
(2) In nearly all instances, it appears thatwhen an ac
1939 Archaeology of the north coast of Peru:
a was encountered in the process of
previous grave count of exploration and excavation in Viru and
a grave was
digging pit, the digging ceased, the hole Lamhayeque valleys. Anthropological Papers 37,
backfilled, and another location was
selected. Only American Museum of Natural History, New York.

with Grave 10 did the ancient people continue dig 1950 The Gallinazo Group, Viru Valley, Peru. Yale
once a grave was encountered, and bury the Publications inAnthropology 43. Yale
ging University
recently deceased individual in that pit. This implies University Press, New Haven.

that inmost cases itwas not considered

appropriate B.
Donnan, Christopher
to bury individuals in pits inwhich other burial re
2001 Moche burials uncovered. National
Geographic
mains were encountered.
199(3): 58-73 (March 2001). Washington, D.C.
(3) The pattern of disturbance indicates that
2003 Tumbas con entierros en miniatura: un nuevo
tipo
once a
previous grave
was encountered, no effortwas funerarioMoche. InMoche:
hacia elfinal del
made to search through it, or to recover its associ milenio, Actas del Segundo Coloquio sobre la
ated objects. The custom of placing most of the asso Cultura Moche (Trujillo, 1 al 7 de 1999), Tomo
ciated objects near the head and feetwould have made I, edited by Santiago Uceda and Elias Mujica, pp.
it easy to locate the contents quickly by searching 43-78. Universidad Nacional de Trujillo y Fondo
these two areas, but thiswas not done. The disturbed Editorial, PontificaUniversidad Cat?lica del Per?.

burials consistently demonstrate that no effortwas ms. The Gallinazo illusion. In Gallinazo: an earlycul
made to search around the head and feet, or to sys tural tradition on the north coast ofPeru, edited
remove the contents of the disturbed burial. by Jean-Francois Millaire. McGill University,
tematically In press.
Montreal.
(4) In many instances the disturbance resulted
in a ceramic vessel being moved, but not damaged. Donnan, Christopher B., and Donna McClelland
Yet even if itwas intact, itwas not removed from the 1997 Moche burials at Pacatnamu. In The Pacatnamu
Volume 2: The Moche ed
grave. This suggests that the ceramics, and presum papers, occupation,

were either seen as ited by Christopher B. Donnan and Guillermo

ably the other associated objects,
A. Cock, pp. 17-187. FowlerMuseum ofCultural
no value, or itwas felt that itwas inappropri
having
History, University of California at Los Angeles.
ate to remove them from a grave. It also does not

appear that any part of the human skeleton was de Narvaez, Alfredo

a was en 1993 La Mina: una tumbaMoche I en el valle de Jeque

liberately removed. When previous grave
countered in digging a new grave pit, the custom tepeque. InMoche: propuestas y perspectivas,
Actas del PrimerColoquio sobre laCultura Moche
appears to have been to simply backfill the pit, bury
contents in the process. Since some (Trujillo, 12 al 16 de 1993), edited by Santiago
ing the disturbed Uceda and Elias Mujica, pp. 59-92. Universidad
of the human and presumably some
skeletal material, Nacional de La Libertad, Trujillo, Peru.
of the associated objects are missing, it is likely that
were left at or near the surface and have since
they
been lost.

192
 Donnan: A Moche at Masanca
cemetery

Shimada, Izumi, and Adriana Magui?a

1993 Nueva vision sobre la culturaGallinazo y su rela
ci?n con la cultura Moche. In Moche: propuestas

y perspectivas,Actas del Primer Coloquio sobre

la Cultura Moche (Trujillo, 12 al 16 de 1993),
edited by Santiago Uceda and Elias Mujica, pp.
31-58. Universidad Nacional de La Libertad,
Trujillo, Peru.

Strong,William D., and Clifford Evans, Jr.

1952 Cultural stratigraphyin theViru valley, northern
Peru: the Formative and Florescent Co
epochs.
lumbia Studies inArchaeology and Ethnology 4.
Columbia University Press,New York.

Ubbelohde-Doering, Heinrich
1957 Der Gallinazo-Stil und die Chronologie der altpe
ruanischen Fr?hkulturen. Bayerische Akademie
der Wissenschaften. Philosophisch-Historische
Klasse, Sitzungsberichte 9: 1-8. Verlag der
Bayerische Akademie derWissenschaften, in
Kommision bei Beck, Munich.

Verano, John
1997 Physical characteristicsand skeletalbiology of the
Moche at Pacatnamu. In The Pa
population
catnamu Volume 2: The Moche
papers, occupa
tion, edited by Christopher B. Donnan and
Guillermo A. Cock, pp. 189-214. Fowler Mu
seum of Cultural History, University of Califor
nia at Los
Angeles.

193