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The Moche people
of ancient Peru are well-known for the lively scenes they painted on
ceramic objects. A majority of these were special vessels known as stirrup-spout
pots because of the unique form of their handles and openings. Elaborate
designs depicting legends, stories, and ritual ceremonies are usually
found on the vessels’ surfaces. They show narratives
such as burials, sacrifices, healing rites, the presentation of goblets
between high-ranking individuals, and scenes of deer hunts and warfare.
The design on this example includes figures of royal messengers, perhaps
bringing news of war. Above the pot sits a sculpted version of one of
the runners, wearing a headdress with a disk bearing the likeness of
a jaguar. The meaning of these figures’ actions and the symbolic
nature of their costumes and elaborate headdresses continues to be studied
today.
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