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

This small female figurine was made by the Moche people out of clay, then wrapped in cloth and tied with string. The Moche civilization flourished in ancient Peru between the 1st and 8th centuries, long before the Inca Empire. The figurine itself was probably made in a mold, a relatively efficient method. It is the wrapping, however, that really catches the eye. This was clearly a labor of love, or at least, of careful attention. The textile has been carefully folded and bound, transforming the original clay figure into something else entirely. It's important to remember that cloth production was highly valued and very labor intensive in the ancient Americas. Fine textiles were of high social importance, so wrapping the figure in woven fabric elevates its status. In considering this figurine, it is important to appreciate the social context, and not only the artistic intention, behind the work.