Archaeologists uncover ancient, live-work ceramic studios linked to Moche civilisation in Peru
Excavations at the Cerro Mayal site in the north of the country show it was an important production facility for Moche ceramics around the seventh century
Archaeologists from the Chicama Archaeological Programme (Prach) at the National University of San Marcos have uncovered evidence of ceramic studios linked to the Moche civilisation in northern Peru. The Cerro Mayal archaeological site, located in the Chicama Valley, La Libertad region, has revealed moulds, potters' plates, and numerous waste products from ceramic manufacturing.
The Moche civilisation, spanning AD100 to AD800, was known for its diverse, finely decorated pottery and portraiture pieces. Archaeologist Jeffrey Quilter noted that Moche ceramics are some of the most varied in the world. Henry Tantaleán, co-director of Prach, explained that the ceramic production sites are less known than the Moche pottery itself, highlighting the importance of understanding how these workshops functioned.
The site contains walls built with adobe and stone, suggesting they were live-work studios where people lived and worked. New radiocarbon dating techniques will help better contextualise this site with others in the Chicama valley and nearby valleys, providing insights into the people, social mechanisms, and production process behind Moche ceramics.
Written by urgent.news from The Art Newspaper's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
