This vessel is a faithful reproduction of a Moche culture vessel with a relief effigy face on the neck and a fine-line painting on the body. The simplified relief of the face indicates that a mold was made of the original vessel, and that this mold was then used by the Moche to mass-produce the vessel for sale throughout the Andean region. These mass-produced Moche vessels were not cheap imitations, however, as they are further embellished with elaborate paintings in clay slip. The red and white slips, typical of Moche ceramics, are used to elaborate the features of the relief face as well as to add decorative details. This vessel is also embellished with a hand-painted depiction of a Moche mythological bird-human character; the male-gendered tunic and skirt, the shield, and the weapons identify this character as the Moche bird warrior.

Most surviving Moche effigy vessels are recovered from graves, but the wear, breakage, and repair evident on most of these recovered vessels suggest that they were used in life for some time before they were eventually buried with the deceased. Highly decorative vessels like this, even if in the form of a molded vessel, reflect high social and political status. Researched by Zjane Johnson

For more information, you may contact the researcher(s) noted in the title of this exhibit entry, or Dr. Billie Follensbee, the professor of the course, at BillieFollensbee@MissouriState.edu