Ritual Object (?)
Unknown Artist
1st–mid-8th century
Medium
Stone
Dimensions
H. 1 3/8 in. × W. 1 in. × D. 3/4 in. (3.5 × 2.6 × 1.9 cm)
Classification
Stone-Sculpture
Culture
Moche
Department
Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Cummings, 1964
Accession Number
64.228.730
Art Historical Context
This enigmatic stone ritual object, crafted by an unknown Moche artist between the 1st and mid-8th centuries, hails from the ancient Moche culture of Peru's northern coast. The Moche, flourishing from around 100 to 800 CE, were masterful artisans renowned for their vivid depictions of rituals, deities, and daily life in ceramics and metalwork. Though its exact purpose remains a mystery—hinted at by the tentative title—this diminutive sculpture exemplifies their skill in miniature forms, possibly serving as a talisman, votive offering, or ceremonial accessory in spiritual practices. Carved fro...