Pre-Columbian, Peru (North Coast), Moche Culture, Moche I period, ca. 100 to 550 CE. An amazing mold-made pottery stirrup vessel in the form of a warrior. The stirrup emerges from his lower back and the back of his head into a diagonally-projecting spout with a small rolled rim. The warrior form is incredible - lifelike, naturalistic, with a high level of detail. He is on one knee, his foot blending into his hanging clothing. He holes in both hands a mace with a large, square, almost shield-like panel; this seems to match his shoulder covering and the carved texture and rivets of both suggest they are made of metal, much like his helmet and huge spooled earrings. What was a vessel like this one used for? Although they definitely had a funerary purpose, many have signs of wear or abrasion, suggesting that they were used for some time period before they were placed in the grave. Recently, excavations of domestic areas have found similar vessels - so they were used in everyday life as well. Perhaps a warrior figure like this was owned by a family with military connections. Size: 8.25" L x 4.9" W x 7.7" H (21 cm x 12.4 cm x 19.6 cm)

Provenance: Ex-Sotheby Parke Bernet, Feb 1981

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#117904

Intact; very faint pink writing says "7" on one foot.