Huaca de la Luna

Huaca de la Luna
The moche deity Ai apaec (decapitador) on a wall inside the temple or Huaca of the Moon
Huaca de la Luna
Shown within Peru
Huaca de la Luna
Huaca de la Luna (South America)
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LocationMoche District, Trujillo Province, La Libertad Region, Peru
RegionMoche valley (North of Peru)
Coordinates8°08′06″S 78°59′29″W / 8.135°S 78.9914°W / -8.135; -78.9914
Altitude41 m (135 ft)
TypeSettlement
Part ofHuacas of Moche
History
BuilderMoche culture
MaterialAdobe
PeriodsEarly Intermediate
CulturesMoche
Site notes
OwnershipPeruvian Government
Public accessYes

Huaca de la Luna ("Temple or Shrine of the Moon") is a large adobe brick structure built mainly by the Moche people of northern Peru. It sits roughly 5 kilometers from the Pacific Ocean, 4 km from the modern city of Trujillo, and near the mouth of the Moche River. The site was inhabited between the 1st and 9th century AD. Along with Huaca del Sol, Huaca de la Luna is part of Huacas de Moche. The Huacas are major components of the ancient Moche capital city of Cerro Blanco.