Stirrup Spout Vessel with Procession of Runners

Date

400-700

Creator

This stirrup spout vessel provides an excellent example of the Moche’s extremely distinct iconography. The vessel depicts a number of anthropomorphized creatures, running in a line, who might be messengers traveling from one city to another. In their hands, they carry bags that might have contained messages encoded in beans. The body of a centipede stretches throughout the scene, connecting to the frontmost runner who most likely is an anthropomorphized centipede. The uppermost register of the vessel depicts shields and traditional Moche war clubs, which are frequently included in Moche artwork.