The Moche civilization considered the hawk as a powerful symbol of leadership, strength, and courage. The Moche people believed that the hawk was a messenger between the human world and the spiritual world, and they often depicted it in their art and iconography. The hawk was also associated with the Moche god Ai Apaec, who was depicted with a hawk's head and was considered a powerful and feared deity associated with human sacrifice. In Moche society, the priests often wore headdresses made from hawk heads or feathers, which symbolized their authority and connection to the spiritual realm.