---
node: sa_moche_culture
type: event
slug: moche_culture
title: "Moche culture"
lead: "The Moche culture flourished on the north coast of Peru from about AD 100 to 800, famed for its art and monumental adobe pyramids. It was a society of valley polities rather than a single unified state."
published: 2026-07-13
updated: 2026-07-13
image_file: moche_culture.jpg
image_source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Portrait_Vessel_of_a_Ruler,_100_BC_-_500_AD,_Moche,_north_coast_of_Peru,_ceramic_and_pigment_-_Art_Institute_of_Chicago_-_DSC00321.JPG"
image_author: "Daderot"
image_license: "CC0"
---

## What happened

The Moche built great adobe platform mounds such as the Huaca del Sol and Huaca de la Luna and irrigated the desert valleys for farming. Their elite staged elaborate ceremonies, including human sacrifice.

## Background

Moche artisans produced masterful portrait vessels, fineline painting, and gold and copper metalwork. Rich tombs such as that of the Lord of Sipán reveal their wealth and beliefs.

## Consequences

The Moche declined by around AD 800, perhaps amid drought and flooding linked to climate swings. Their art and monuments remain central to understanding the ancient Andean coast.