Family relations of Moche elite burials on the North Coast of Peru (~500 CE): Analyses of the Señora de Cao and relatives

Abstract

This study provides the first confirmation of familial relationships within an elite Moche burial group from Huaca Cao Viejo, offering new insights into Moche social organization, burial practices, and kinship-based politics. Using genomic and isotopic data from the burial group, including the prominent Señora de Cao and related individuals, we reconstructed a family tree spanning at least four generations and demonstrate that kinship played a central role in Moche elites’ political and ritual activities. The finding of sacrificed juveniles closely related to the main burials suggests a previously undocumented form of ritual sacrifice, underscoring the complexity of Moche ceremonial practices. This research contributes to understanding ancient Andean societies by illustrating the intersections between kinship, status, and ritual. Keywords: Moche, ancient DNA, kinship, Peru, isotopes