Overview
Moche potters produced stirrup-spout bottles and vessels in vast numbers, many shaped as remarkably individual human portrait heads. Others depict animals, deities, warriors, and scenes of daily life.
Description
Fineline painting on some vessels shows complex ceremonial and mythological scenes in reddish-brown on cream. The realism of the portrait heads is unmatched in the ancient Americas.
History and legacy
Moche ceramics are a prime source for understanding a culture that left no writing. They rank among the greatest ceramic traditions of the pre-Columbian world.