Moche civilization flourished on the north coast of Peru from AD 200 to
800. Although the Moche had no writing system, they left a vivid
artistic record of their beliefs and activities on intricately painted
ceramic vessels, several thousand of which are scattered in museums and
private collections throughout the world today. Unfortunately, nearly
all were looted by grave robbers so their origin and context are
unknown. In recent years, however, through a combination of
archaeological excavation and stylistic analysis, it has been possible
to identify more than 250 painted vessels from the site of San Jose de
Moro. To date, this is the largest sample of Moche art from a single
place and time. Thus it provides a unique opportunity to identify a
distinct sub-style of Moche ceramics, and to assess its range of
artistic and technological variation. Moreover, within the sample it is
possible to identify multiple paintings by 18 different artists, thus
elucidating the range of subject matter that an artist would paint, as
well as the variation in the way he would portray the same scene. By
discussing and illustrating more than 200 painted vessels from San Jose
de Moro, this volume provides insights about a community of ancient
Peruvian potters who shared a distinctive painting style and left a
fascinating record of their achievement.
