Detailed Information:
Ayapayeq, the executioner and the main deity of Moche culture, can be seen depicted in elaborate and colorfully painted murals in Huaca de la Luna in the area of Trujilo, on Peru's northern coast.
The Moche culture developed around 100BC, and the Moche valley was the main capital of the culture until the 6th century AD, when a severe drought led to famines and the abandonment of the area.
The Huaca del Sol was the one of the largest single adobe structure ever built, and 142 million mud bricks went into its construction. It measured 360m long by 180m wide, and was over 50m high. Unfortunately, the remains are not in very good condition, partially due to the effects of the weather over the centuries, but mainly due to the efforts of the conquistadors. In their search for gold, the Spaniards diverted the Moche River, washing away the majority of the temple. Today, only 30% of the structure remains. Very little investigation has been done on the Huaca del Sol.
500m from the Huaca del Sol is the smaller Huaca de la Luna, which measures 96m by 96m, and is 25m high. This consists of a series of platforms with ceremonial complexes at each level. Investigation of the temple indicates that the structure was begun by the Viru culture prior to the Moches, as the adobe bricks at the base of the temple are of a Viru type, although the temple's importance dates from the Moche period.
Although it is hard to imagine now, looking at the dry mud, the whole temple was once painted in vivid colours. It is the remains of some of these paintings that make the Huaca de la Luna a fascinating attraction. The covering of prior phases of construction with new bricks has led to the preservation of many of the paintings that used to decorate the exterior of the temple. Many of these are of Ayapayec, 'the beheading god', who was the main Moche deity. The remarkably well-preserved bass reliefs, in vivid reds, yellows and blacks, depict the god, often holding a severed head and ceremonial knife. It is likely that temple was used for sacrifices, and human remains have been discovered at the site.
