A new LiDAR-based study of the upper Moche Valley has identified a previously unknown fortified urban center belonging to the Moche culture, situated on a strategic ridge overlooking the coastal plains. The site features a series of concentric defensive walls and a large ceremonial platform (huaca) decorated with faded remains of mural paintings depicting warrior processions and coastal birds.
The discovery of a highland fortress suggest that the Moche's political influence extended much further into the Andean foothills than previously believed, likely to secure access to vital water sources and mineral deposits. The presence of ceremonial obsidian blades and high-status pottery shards indicates that this was not merely a military outpost but a significant center of regional governance and ritual activity during the 7th century CE.