PROYECTO ARQUEOLOGICO &HUACA DE LA LUNA

Since 1991 the Universidad Nacional de La Libertad-Trujillo has carried out a series of studies aimed at unraveling the history of the Huacas and studying and conserving the multicolored friezes on the Huaca de la Luna discovered by Morales. In addition, archaeology students in their last year of study have carried out a number of research projects:

BENJAMIN RODRIGUEZ, ELSA ORBEGOSO, DECIMA CHILCA AND EMMA CASTILLO in 1991 established the construction sequence and function of the Huaca de la Luna, taking advantage of the enormous looters' pit on the upper Platform. They defined four building stages for the area.

MONICA BERMEJO, SUSANA FRANCO AND RICARDO TELLO in 1991 studied the iconography of the friezes at the Huaca de la Luna based on comparative studies from ceramic collections at the Museum of the University of Trujillo and the private Cassinelli collection.

RUTH GALLARDO, BERTHA HERRERA, JORGE NARRO AND CARLOS RAMIREZ in 1991 established the construction sequence of the Huaca del Sol, taking advantage of the large profile on the western side of the structure. They defined 11 building stages, but did not reach sterile ground.

GLORIA JARA, VIOLETA CHAMORRO AND JOSE ARMAS in 1993 excavated a pottery workshop covering an area of 150 meters southwest of the Huaca de la Luna. Their excavations revealed intense production activities as well as evidence for almost the entire pottery production process, including tools.

HEISEN NAVARRO, HILDEBRANDO PAREDES AND WILLIAM RODAS in 1993 studied the architecture of the Huaca de la Luna based on the clearing of an eroded area in the southwest corner of the main platform, whose profiles shed light on the third construction phase. They recorded enclosures with pilasters and others with gabled roofs.

GUIDELINA CARDENAS in 1994 studied three tombs found in the construction fill of the Huaca de la Luna in an effort to understand the roles and ranks of the people buried there.

ERNESTO GARCIA, WILFREDO NERINO AND MOISES TUFINIO in 1994 studied the western profile of platform III in an effort to correlate this sequence with that established by Project archaeologists for platform I.

ROCIO PAZ, PATRICIA QUILCATE AND CAROLINA VILCHEZ in 1994 studied a small settlement located halfway up Cerro Blanco's northern flank. The site dates to Salinar times, contemporary with Cerro Arena, the largest Salinar site in the Moche valley.

JEANNI BAILON, LUIS BURGOS, RAFAEL DIAZ, CIRO PARDO AND VERONICA RODRIGUEZ in 1995 studied the architecture and building sequence of the Huaca de la Luna's plaza 2.

CRISTINA DONGO AND SANTIAGO RODRIGUEZ in 1995 studied the function and construction sequence of the architecture in patio 3b.

CESAR JAUREGUl, MARIA MOYA AND CHANEL UCEDA in 1995 studied part of a residential unit in the urban center close to the Huaca de la Luna. Not only were they able to define the architecture of this residential complex but they also carried out chemical analyses of the soil to determine the function of these buildings.

In 1995 the Universidad Nacional de La Libertad-Trujillo signed an agreement with the University of Montreal, Canada, to carry out joint excavations at the complex. STEVE BOURGET excavated the spectacular Moche sacrifice site in patio 3 close to platform II. CLAUDE CHAPDELAINE has focused on the urban center in an effort to understand urbanism and the nature of the Moche state.