Tales of the Moche Kings and Queens: Elite Burials from the North Coast of Peru

Date and Time

September 26, 2017
06:00PM - 06:00PM EDT

Location

Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street

Free Public Lecture

Jeffrey Quilter, William and Muriel Seabury Howells Director of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology; Senior Lecturer on Anthropology, Harvard University

This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of the discovery of the Lord of Sipán, one of the most spectacular gold tombs found in the Americas and the first of many elite tombs found in northern Peru. The remains of these burial sites provide a treasure trove of information about ancient Moche art, technology, and beliefs. Jeffrey Quilter will share first-hand information about elite burial excavations and discuss how studies of these tombs have shaped our understanding of Moche social and political organization, helping to settle the debate over whether the Moche were a state society.