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...
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