Lady Cao was not just one of many mummies archaeologists have unearthed in various parts of the world. Discoveries of her remains re-wrote ancient history and gave us a much better understanding of the Moche culture.
Between the first and ninth centuries, the Moche flourished and governed the northern coast of Peru before the Incas, while the Mayas developed in Mexico and Central America. They developed a sophisticated irrigation system to control the desert, constructed adobe pyramids, and, like many other ancient nations, employed religion to unite the population.
In 2006, archaeologists discovered a female Moche mummy at the archeological site El Brujo, which is located about 45 km north of Trujillo in the La Libertad Region of Peru. She became known as lady Cao. It was one of the most significant archeological discoveries relating to the Moche.The discovery of her splendid burial shattered scientists’ notions about the Moche, which until recently had been perceived as a society ruled by male warriors.
Examinations of the ancient mummy revealed Lady Cao was in her mid-twenties when she died about 450 CE. The cause of her death was most likely complications due to pregnancy or childbirth.This royal tomb, the eighth discovered in 25 years, is believed to have belonged to a Moche priestess buried 1,200 years ago. The great number of artifacts and the complexity of the burial reveal the power and influence this woman wielded in life. Courtesy of Luis Castillo
The Lady of Cao’s mummy, which was found at the archaeological site Huaca El Brujo, a grand pyramid of the ancient Moche pre-hispanic culture, is seen at the Ministry of Culture in Lima, Peru July 4, 2017.
GUADALUPE PARDO/REUTERS
She had a diadem of gold on her head and wore a large V-shaped crown with the image of a puma in the center and a necklace with large beads, each bearing the same feline face. She had several symbolic tattoos.
Scientists found snake and animal tattoos on her arms and feet. Spiders, the tree of life, and star-like symbols were among the other symbols tattooed on her body. These were all regarded as sacred symbols and can also be seen on the friezes of the bigger temples at the El Brujo archaeological site.Using sophisticated 3D technology, scientists later reconstructed her face and by doing so she became more alive.
Today, most scientists think that Lady Cao could have been a priestess or even a Moche ruler who has governed in the Chicama Valley.
Until recently, it was believed that the Moche had been as a society ruled by male warriors, but this ᴀssumption turned out to be completely wrong.
The finding of Lady Cao demonstrated the high status of women in Moche culture. The Moche civilisation had no written language, and Lady Cao’s silent remains spoke to us, telling us about the true nature of her society.