Moche archaeological site. Archaeologist carrying out restoration work on a wall sculpture at the Huaca de la Luna site in Peru. This sculpture shows the head of a warrior from a scene in Moche mythology. The head is seen next to a lizard-like creature. Huaca de la Luna (The Temple of the Moon) is thought to have been used by the Moche for religious ceremonies such as human sacrifices. The Moche were a pre-Hispanic people that lived in coastal river valleys in northern Peru. Their civilisation reached its height in the period from 100-700 AD.