Huaca El Brujo

The Huaca El Brujo complex, about 60 kilometres north of Trujillo, is a less-visited but extraordinary Moche ceremonial site. It consists of three main mounds, the most excavated of which — Huaca Cao Viejo — has polychrome murals comparable in quality to those at the Huaca de la Luna.

The site gained international attention with the 2006 discovery of the Lady of Cao (Señora de Cao), a Moche woman buried with the regalia of a ruler, now considered among the most significant archaeological finds in the Americas. The Lady of Cao is now on display in the excellent site museum, which opened in 2009. The mummy, her offerings, and the headdress and war clubs buried with her make this one of the most compelling museum experiences in northern Peru.

Getting here requires a taxi or tour from Trujillo; the drive takes about 90 minutes. Most tour agencies in Trujillo combine a visit here with other northern sites.

things to do sight
A story
In 2006, archaeologists at Huaca El Brujo uncovered the mummy of a woman who appears to have been a powerful ruler of the Moche — adorned with gold and copper headdresses, surrounded by sacrificed victims, and buried with war clubs, usually a male symbol of authority. Named the Lady of Cao, she became evidence that Moche society included women at the highest levels of political and religious power, upending previous assumptions about the culture.