The Lord of Sipan
The golden tomb
The archaeological complex of Huaca Rajada, where the splendid Tomb of the Lord of Sipan was found, is on Peru's north coast, 35 km (21 miles) southeast of the city of Chiclayo, which in turn is 770 km (478 miles) from the capital city of Lima. In 1987, a small group of Peruvian archaeologists led by Dr. Walter Alva discovered at Huaca Rajada the tomb of an important Moche governor who had been buried with riches and all the symbols of his station in life. The discovery was world news and is considered as important as the discovery of the tomb of the Tutankhamen.
The Lord of Sipan died some 1770 years ago. As sovereign, he was considered a semi-god. He lived for about 40 years and was 1.67 meters tall (5.5 ft). His rich attire included necklaces, breastplates, ear spools, nose rings, helmets, bracelets and sceptres, mostly in a combination of gold and silver. There were also objects in copper, spondyllus shells and semiprecious
stones. Most of the pieces have symbolic designs.
Shortly after the discovery of the Lord of Sipan's tomb, Alva and his team found two more tombs, of a Priest and of the Old Lord of Sipan. The importance of this discovery, and the need to provide an appropriate place to house the remains of the Lord of Sipan and his treasures, led to the building of the Royal Tombs of Sipan Museum, designed by architect Celso Prado, which opened in 2002 in the city of Lambayeque (15 km / 9 miles from Chiclayo). This museum is one of the most important in the Americas, considered the "Museum of the 21st century". The building is comprised of three levels, starting at the third, highest level with access via a ramp 74 meters long (242 ft), similar to those used at the ancient Moche temples.
Altitude
46 masl (150 ft)
How to get there