Science: The Secrets of A Moche Lord

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Near the 23-ft.-deep hole made by the looters, Alva and his team uncovered a cluster of five human skeletons and the remains of two llamas and a dog surrounding the wooden coffin of their master. Alva believes the warrior- priest, who may have presided over such ceremonies as the sacrificing of captured enemies, was about 35 years old. A spinal deformation suggested that he suffered from arthritis, but there was no indication of how he died. Besides the layers of rich funeral clothing and objects, the skeleton was adorned by a necklace made of gold and lapis peanuts, a gold chin-and-cheek mask, bracelets with hundreds of tiny turquoise beads, a gold backflap and 16 gold disks around its neck. Says Alva: "I'm sure that when we finish digging here, we will know more about the life, social and economic organization, and religious practices of the Moche."

The archaeologists have already learned a great deal. Chemical analysis of burial objects, including gold fragments from the eastern Andes, turquoise from northern Argentina and lapis from Chile, suggests the extent of Moche trade. Some of the artifacts reflect remarkably advanced technologies. Several pieces of copper, for example, are plated with gold by means of a technique that was not used in Europe until centuries later. A number of the gold objects, such as a finely crafted figure of a warrior about the size of a thumb, are so richly detailed that they can be fully appreciated only under a microscope. "The quality of the goldwork is stunning," says Donnan. "It puts our understanding of New World metallurgy on a different plane."

The Lord of Sipan lies at a site that may hold still more archaeological treasures. Alva and his colleagues speculate that the plateau may be a burial ground for generations of what they call the "popes" of the Moche. If he succeeds in raising the necessary money, Alva hopes to excavate fully the Sipan site and unearth its remaining Moche treasures -- before the huaqueros get to them and sell them off piece by piece.