Room E1, Vitrine E12
Ceramic
Peruvian Northern Coast
Florescent Epoch (1 AD – 800 AD)
ML004358, ML004360, ML004363, ML004365
“The most common religious scenes on these vessels of a sacred character were produced by the Mochica in beautiful reliefs that possess a mystical air. The deity is shown possessing a woman beneath a shelter, while the dog that is his inseparable companion and his faithful servant the anthropomorphic lizard with joined hands are engaged in prayer as they observe the ceremonial copulation. The deity, in this sexual rite, is attended by anthropomorphic cormorants and hummingbirds. Over a fire, one of these is preparing a liquid in a small vessel, stirring it with an utensil. At the same time, an anthropomorphic cormorant is holding another identical vessel and throwing its contents over the genitalia of the deity and the woman. With such scenes, the Mochica sought to transform their deity into the focus of the power to fertilize. They sought to deify the act of love and depict it as the creative force of the world, the source of universal life. Moreover, by giving the deity the sexual attributes of a man, they exalted the male erotic instinct and libido”. (Rafael Larco Hoyle, Checán pp. 100-105)