Stirrup Vessel Depicting a Supernatural within a Shell on Shoulder c. 100 - 500

Editor: So, this intriguing object is a Moche ceramic stirrup vessel, created sometime between 100 and 500 AD. What strikes me immediately is its... strangeness. I mean, that spout, that creature! What am I even looking at? How would you interpret this work? Curator: Ah, "strangeness" is a good starting point, isn't it? It feels otherworldly, yet also strangely familiar. The Moche were masters of storytelling through ceramics. I see a layered narrative. Forget vases of flowers; they put their entire cosmos onto these vessels. Now, tell me, what grabs you most about this supernatural being nestled in its shell? Editor: Definitely the hybrid nature. Is that a feline? An iguana? Plus the shell looks so…architectural. Is there symbolism behind that, perhaps protection? Curator: Precisely! That creature—part beast, part deity—probably embodies combined powers, protection and the earthly realms, all intertwined within that protective shell. Notice the strategic use of dark paint and those geometric forms, reinforcing that symbolism, elevating function to sacred art. This was not *just* a vessel. Do you think this affected their day-to-day existence? Editor: I suppose having such potent imagery around might have constantly reminded people of those powers and beliefs, which is a totally different role than what we expect from art today. So this wasn’t decoration, but almost an instruction manual for life. Curator: Indeed! Everyday life saturated with the sacred, wouldn't that be something? Maybe we've lost touch with that directness. That object reminds us there's an intimacy possible with the unseen. Editor: Well, now I’ll think twice before picking out a water pitcher! I guess even utilitarian art objects can contain so much meaning.