Wandel von Opferritualen: Hinweise in den Funden von Sipán

Abstract

The interpretation of the archaeological remains from the Moche site of Sipán, Peru, was widely based on comparisons with the better known iconography of that culture. This way of interpretation ignores the time gap between the sources of iconography and the archaeological finds from the site. Assuming the likelihood of changes in ritual behaviour in the course of time some archaeological remains from Sipán can be interpreted as a sequence of changes. These lead from a relatively simple early ritual sacrifice of captives by way of growing complexity to a final form of sacrifice at least present in Sipán.