Elegant in Life, Ambiguous in Death: A High-Status Mummy from Northern Coastal Peru
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The exceptionally well-preserved Moche mummy known as the Señora de Cao was buried at the El Brujo ceremonial complex in northern coastal Peru around 500 CE. Her unusually rich and diverse funerary assemblage includes elaborate textiles, gold headdresses, and jewelry. Bioanthropological analysis identifies her unequivocally as female. But the objects in her funerary bundle include a mix of what Moche specialists consider classic male warrior regalia (war clubs, spear throwers, headdresses, and nose ornaments) and classic female grave goods (clothing, needles, and weaving tools). While the Lady of Cao was clearly a high-status woman in Moche society, her social position in and relationship to the El Brujo complex and other Moche ceremonial centers is less clear. What do studies of her physical remains and funeral offerings reveal about her identity in life and possible cause of death?