$22,000.00
Culture: Moche
Region: North Coast, Peru
Date/Origin: Circa AD 400-550
Type: Stirrup Vessel
Material: Terracotta
Dimensions: 11/ in.
Description: The Shape of the Spout and Body of this Redware Fineline Vessel Place it in the Phase IV Period when Moche Painted Pottery was at its peak. In the Scene, The Same Warrior and his Captive are Repeated on Both Sides of the Vessel with Minor Changes in their Details. The Captive has been Stripped of his Clothing, Bound with Rope around his Neck, and Bashed in the Face with the War Club Held by the Hovering Owl Above. Owls Were Associated with War and Warriors, and they Frequently Appear in the Battle Scenes Such as This One. Large Drops of Blood are Spurting From the Prisoner’s Nose and Around his back, while the warrior holds a goblet filled with his blood. The Ritual Sacrifice of Captives and the Drinking of the Blood was Analyzed on a Number of Fineline Vessels by Christopher Donnan (1978:158-173). Prisoner Blood was Preserved with the Juice of the Ulluchu Fruit, a Wild Papaya with Anticoagulant Properties (Carica Candicans). This Vase is Unusual in Showing Personified Ulluchu Figure Sprouting Vegetation Between the Prisoner and the Warrior. Ulluchus float around all three figures in the scene. This vase was published by Donnan (1978: #268), and has been in only two private collections since the early 1970’s.
1 in stock
