Discovery of a Female Ruler’s Throne Room at the Moche Site of Pañamarca

Excavations at the Moche site of Pañamarca in northwestern Peru have uncovered the first-known throne room of a female ruler, Artnet News reported. Situated between the Andes and the Pacific, the Moche civilization thrived from the 1st to the 8th centuries C.E. Recent discovery efforts, notably resumed in 2018 by a joint U.S.-Peruvian team, have brought to light the 7th-century Hall of the Moche Imaginary, richly adorned with murals of a powerful woman. This unprecedented find suggests significant roles for women in Moche society, potentially defying prior academic perspectives on Moche gender roles.

Named for the vibrant scenes that illuminate the beliefs and practices of the ancient Moche civilization, the Hall of the Moche Imaginary features a throne fashioned from painted adobe. Positioned facing the Pacific Ocean, the throne room’s murals depict a female ruler in various powerful and ceremonial contexts. One striking scene shows men carrying her crown, while another includes mythological and sea creatures. Close to the throne, images of a crowned woman raising a goblet and communicating with a bird-man figure stand out, potentially indicating this woman's significant influence and authority.

Originally entombed by the Moche for preservation and reburied by archaeologists post-discovery, the findings include greenstone beads, threads, and even human hair, suggesting that the painted woman was a real-world leader. The research team includes members from the Archaeological Landscapes of Pañamarca, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, and Columbia University.

Alongside the hall, a monumental Hall of the Braided Serpents was uncovered, characterized by its high vantage over an attached plaza and its pillars decorated with intertwined serpents and humans, warriors, weapons, and monsters. These findings supported efforts to shift the research focus on Moche culture away from its commonly recognized themes of combat and sacrifice to one embracing the broader societal roles, including powerful female figures.

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