Excavations at Huaca Cortada, Caballo Muerto Complex, Moche Valley: A Preliminary Report

In this article, we present the preliminary results of the first season of excavations at Huaca Cortada, Caballo Muerto Complex, lower Moche Valley. While Huaca Cortada is one of the largest mounds at Caballo Muerto, there is little known about its occupation. Our research focused on various aspects of the site’s occupation including a more detailed understanding of its construction and chronology. We have determined that Huaca Cortada was first constructed around 1500 cal BC. However, the presence of pottery associated with later architectural phases indicates a longer and more complex occupational history. Furthermore, the excavations showed that Huaca Cortada was built in multiple construction phases to increase its size through time. This fact challenges previous conclusions that Huaca Cortada was built in a single construction episode, which was directed by a centralized political authority. Interestingly, several of the building phases of the mound have sedimentary deposits formed by strong rains associated with the El Nino phenomenon.