Portrait vessel c. 6th century

This portrait vessel was made by the Moche people of ancient Peru from earthenware clay. The Moche are celebrated for their sophisticated ceramics, particularly these portrait vessels. We can learn so much from this kind of work! The creation of portrait vessels points to a highly stratified society with an elite class whose likenesses were deemed worthy of preservation. It suggests the Moche placed high value on individual identity and that their rulers, warriors, or priests were immortalized through these vessels. Were they displayed in public spaces, buried with the elite, or used in rituals? The study of Moche art involves archaeological reports and ethnohistorical accounts, which can reveal so much about the culture that shaped the art, as well as how the art may have, in turn, legitimized the social order. Art like this is always embedded in a complex web of social practices.