An international project involving the Museo Tumbas Reales de Sipán, the University of Milan and the Caritas of Peru, has begun an extensive set of excavations at the Moche culture site of Sipán in May 2007 that will go on through the end of the year. The excavations are directed by the Peruvian archaeologist Walter Alva, who first excavated at Sipán in the 1980s.

Located in the lower Lambayeque Valley of the northern coast of Peru, Sipán is one of the most well known archaeological sites in the world, an administrative and religious center of the Moche culture, and best known for the discovery of several burials of elite residents, including el Señor de Sipán (or Lord of Sipán). The tombs included funerary assemblages that matched the clothing and accessories of individuals illustrated in Moche iconography, fine-line ceramic and mural art thought to represent important sacrificial and religious/political rites.

The 2007 investigations will be focused on the pyramids of Sipán, to excavate them more fully and determine the best method of preserving them. One important reason for the excavation was the realization of the effects of el Niño (ENSO). Researchers believe that although the changing climate has worn the appearance of the pyramids to soft-edged hills, the detailed architecture of the adobes may be revealed with additional excavation. If so, they need to be preserved from further damage. Similar work has been effected at the Lima culture site of Huaca Pucllana, which revealed the intricately designed adobe walls that researcher Antonio Aimi (University of Milan) describes as 'an Escher pattern'.

At the same time, the project will construct a sewage and water treatment plant to develop Sipán as a tourist location and improve the plight of the people in the region. The project is being conducted by Caritas (the unidad ejecutora), Museo Tumbas Reales de Sipan (Walter Alva), the Milan University (Antonio Aimi and Emilia Perassi), with sponsorship by the Italy-Peruvian Fund (FIP).

• Sipán, more on the site
• Moche Civilization
• Sipán, Peru Cultural website developed with Walter Alva (Spanish)
• Museo Tumbas Reales de Sipán
• Caritas of Peru
• After 10 years, the new excavations in Sipán, (Spanish and English versions) Antonio Aimi