Like the Old World civilizations, the Moche depended on their own irrigation systems to water their crops. Regardless of the harsh climate, the Moche managed to do this quite well. Fagan (nd: 123-124) notes the excellence of the Moche farmers, how they were able to use the difficult terrain to their advantage, creating irrigation systems and using fertile soil. Despite the fact that natural disasters would eventually ruin the civilization, the Moche's honed survival skills could generally find them plenty of nourishment from their irrigated fields or relevant use of the oceans (Fagan nd: 123-125). Besides farming, the Moche proved themselves far more than adequate warriors, able to survive in the midst of land disputes and other instances of conflict among neighboring tribes. Interestingly, the Moche managed to attain a sort of federalism, with several tribes ruling over different geographical areas, although they seemed to be ruled by a Moche Valley capital at Cerro Blaco (G. And Smiley, 2004). While this may suggest disorganization to some, it also rings of unmistakable pragmatism. Given the terrain of the land, a centralized state like that of Rome would have been nearly impossible for the Moche. Instead, this federal system represents an understanding of unification through

And the spatial separation of the Moche rulers did not hinder their ability in war. Instead, the scenes on Moche pottery depict that they were far more than capable of dealing with their enemies.
Thus, the whispers communicated through handicrafts and the survival skills of the Moche suggest that they are a complex civilization that could not be rivaled by the Old World civilizations of Egyptians and Phoenicians in Mesopotamia. Still, Fagan (nd: 138) argues that the Moche failed in one aspect that the Egyptians did not. Their ability to survive disaster did not cause them to learn and prepare from future disaster. This oversight, which eventually lead to the Moche's demise at the hands of nature, however, does not necessarily suggest that the Moche was an inferior civilization. Instead, it casts doubt upon their caste system and preparation. Regardless, the Moche made lasting contributions to history. Fagan (nd: 125) writes that the Moche were steeped in the history of the civilizations that came before them. Perhaps, also, the Moche influenced those who came after them. In fact, the great city of Hurai marked the era after the Moche ("The Middle Kingdoms"), and the Nasca culture managed to create quite a few startling advancements after the Moche were destroyed (Curry 2007). Thus, the Moche culture may not have had the complex system of reading and writing that other civilizations prized, but their contributions were just as important.

Bibliography

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