Lord of Sipan Museum

General information

Destination
Chiclayo, Peru

Program details

Uncover the ancient ritual burial sites at the Royal Tombs of Sipan in this private, fully guided tour from Chiclayo. The tombs are housed in a modern museum at the nearby settlement of Lambayeque, just down the coast from Chiclayo. Explore the tombs, see remarkably well-preserved mummies and admire the beautiful artefacts that once belonged to the Lord of Sipan.



After meeting your expert local guide, head to the nearby settlement of Lambayeque, our destination the Royal Tombs Museum, opened by renowned archaeologist Walter Alva in 2002. In this private visit you’ll learn all about the discovery of fourteen tombs belonging to the Moche culture at Huaca Rajada in 1987. The museum was specially built to house two splendid ritual burial sites, one of which is that of the mummy known as the Lord of Sipan.



You cannot fail to be impressed by the imposing physical structure of the museum itself, a replica of the flat-topped pyramids of the Moche culture (from the first to seventh centuries). And that’s nothing compared to the sheer splendour of the magnificent objects on display here. You’ll find more than 2,000 artefacts worked from solid gold including torques, breastplates and jewellery.



All exhibits are original pieces and have been painstakingly cleaned and restored to the minutest detail, bringing them back to their former glory. The leading representative of the Moche culture, the Lord of Sipan, the most important governor of ancient Peru some 1,700 years ago, is buried in this architectural jewel. There is some free time to browse a local handicrafts market.



Languages

English and Spanish