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Moche Culture

Overview of Themes in Moche Artwork

The artistic record of the Moche is robust and gives insight into the customary practices of the time, as corroborated by the archaeological record. Because the Moche had no writing system, the interpretation of Moche art is an important part of how Moche culture is understood in the present. Much of Moche artwork depicts themes, or scenes, of various rituals that are painted upon ceramic vessels. Two of the most famous themes in Moche artwork are the Presentation and Burial themes. These scenes provide insight into the symbolism of Moche aesthetics and their potential culture significance.

Presentation Theme

The Presentation Theme represents an iconic and elaborate theme in Moche artwork. The theme is separated into a top and bottom half, each depicting a different aspect of the Presentation theme. Some figures in this theme are clearly depicted as deities and some contain both human and animalistic characteristics in one body. The Presentation Theme, fundamentally, depicts an act of sacrifice, as it is often called the Sacrifice Ceremony. The deified figures in elaborate dress, especially those at the top half of the theme, are often thought to be depictions of gods or deities, else human priests or spiritual figures dressed as deities and gods. The figures in this Presentation Theme are characterized by the division into top and bottom halves. The larger figures in the top half of the image are involved in a presentation of a goblet, which is then received by a deity-like figure. Some of the deities in the top half of the theme have been found in burial sites via archaeological excavation, which suggests that human beings living at the time were involved in a recreation of this ceremony.

The bottom half of the Presentation Theme is what contains the actual human sacrifice. Imprisoned humans, detained by the binding of their hands, are cut by deities and blood is shown as it spills. Some literature and study suggests that the spilling of this blood is connected to the ritual presentation of the goblet, which has contents that are consumed by one of the major deities in the top half of the image. The implication of the sacrifice ritual being connected with a consumption of a liquid in a goblet above suggests the consumption of blood occurred during this ceremony.

Burial Theme

The Burial Theme has been found in six distinct examples within the archaeological record. Each of these examples reiterates a recurring scene with similar composition but each contains a unique aspect as well. The striking similarities between these examples is what categorizes them together as examples of an overarching Burial theme. Moche art style is generally divided into five chronological phases, and the examples of the Burial Theme in the archaeological record all belong to Phase V.

The specific activities within the Burial Theme are varied but there are four that can be found within all six examples. Each depiction of the Burial Theme contains burial, assembly, conch-shell transfer, and sacrifice. Burial is an act done by the two figures, often called Iguana and Wrinkle-Face who are also found in other examples of Moche art, as they use ropes to lower a casket into the ground. The existence of these caskets has been corroborated by archaeological data in burial sites. In some examples, Iguana and Wrinkle-Face are using the ropes to hold animals, including llamas and dogs. The archaeological record elsewhere regarding burials among the Moche is consistent with the use of ropes to lower caskets into graves. The famous Warrior-Priest burial has a casket that has been found to be consistent with the artist-rendered depictions of burial on the vessels. The scenes of burial also displayed an assortment of grave goods, including ceramic vessels, shallow food bowls, and conch shells. Moche burials as studied by archaeological methods have been consistent with these artistic depictions.

The activity of assembly also centers Iguana and Wrinkle-Face, with each wielding a staff. This activity also depicts one side with human figures holding vertical staffs, facing the center of the drawing, and donning a particular netted style of shirt. Opposite to the human figures wearing netted shirts are animal figures, which are sometimes combined with anthropomorphic features, which are either feline or male deer.

The conch-shell transfer occurs under a roofed structure with visible stairs as the method of entry. There is a figure, called the Kneeler, donning a crescent-shaped shape on the headdress. The Kneeler, as his name suggests, represents a unique posture that is uncommon in other Moche art as he holds a conch shell in an outstretched hand. Wrinkle-Face and Iguana make an appearance here, facing Kneeler. The symbolic significance of conch shells can be found throughout Moche art and other art within the region.

Sacrifice in the Burial Theme happens above the conch-shell transfer and also involves Iguana and Wrinkle-Face. In this activity, Iguana and Wrinkle-Face hold weapons as a naked female figure is pecked at by birds.

Interpretation of the Burial Theme relies on archaeological and historical context from the region. The usage of parallel lines to separate the four activities suggests a proposed chronology, within which burial is the primary activity. Some evidence from historical accounts about Indigenous customs suggest that curers often had punishments that resembled that of the naked female figure depicted in the Burial Theme and there is also some evidence that some curers in Moche society were women. What remains uncertain is the question of whether the Burial Theme represents a recurring depiction of a real burial of a living person, or whether it is merely a symbolic or religious theme that appears throughout Moche artwork. The grave goods are prized and luxury items, and the burial depicted in the artwork is done with elaborate ceremony. This suggests that burial held an important place in the culture of the Moche, whether this particular burial was real or fictitious.