Mold-Made Female Figurine Wrapped in Cloth and Tied with String c. 100 - 600

This small sculpture of a female figure, wrapped in cloth and tied with string, was made by the Moche people of ancient Peru. Consider the layers here. The figure itself, mold-made from clay, suggests a degree of standardization and wider distribution. Then there's the wrapping: cloth, a valuable commodity in Moche society, and the binding string, implying ritual or perhaps constraint. What does it mean to conceal or protect a representation of the female body in this way? The Moche civilization thrived from about 100 to 700 AD, a period marked by complex irrigation systems, elaborate pottery, and monumental constructions. The social hierarchy was rigid, and artistic production was often tied to religious and political power. Examining archaeological reports, ethnographies, and studies of Moche iconography could provide insight into the figurine's purpose. Was it a votive offering, a burial good, or something else entirely? Further research into Moche beliefs about gender, cloth, and binding rituals might reveal the social meanings embedded in this small but evocative object.