Huaca Cortada, Archaeological complex in Magdalena de Cao District, Peru.
Huaca Cortada is a pre-Hispanic construction located near the Pacific Ocean with dimensions of about 100 meters on each side and a height of about 17 meters. The structure consists of adobe bricks and features two large cuts on its southern facade that gave it its name.
The structure dates from the Moche period between 100 and 800 CE. The two large cuts on its southern facade were created when local residents extracted adobe bricks from the site during the early 20th century.
The walls display polychrome high-relief friezes showing Moche artistic traditions from the monument's earliest construction phases.
The structure lies within the El Brujo archaeological complex and is accessible to visitors through organized tours from the city of Trujillo. With some planning, the site can be conveniently explored as part of a larger visit to this region.
Adobe bricks from this structure were so valued by local residents that they removed large quantities for use in other buildings. This extraction work profoundly shaped the monument's distinctive appearance today.
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