Captured warriors are sacrificed on a Moche vessel, crafted at some point during the civilization’s apogee from 1 to 800 A.D. (Photo C-M.)
At this point, I feel confident in letting everyone know that if you come to Peru and don’t make a significant pit stop of at least three days in Lima, you are seriously hurting. Among the incredible sights: the Museo Rafael Larco Herrera, which has a spectacular collection of ceramics from various pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, most significantly the Moche, a culture renowned for their incredible portrait vessels. Think: Roman sculpture of the Americas.
The best part (in addition to the lovely on-site restaurant that serves a highly recommended ceviche) is the separate room that contains a trove of Moche erotic pottery — as in, lots of sculptures of people humping. My tour through the erotic gallery was heightened by a fellow traveler from Italy who spent the entire visit alternately exclaiming ‘Mama mia!’ or laughing nervously.
The museum is open seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Also: You can follow my Peruvian adventures on Twitter. Or check in with my buddy @hchuaeoan, who is Tweeting away about everything he puts in his mouth. I won’t say what.
Click on images to supersize.
Monkey’s mating, from the Virú culture, 1200 to 1 BC.
Moche portrait vessel.
Nazca era figures getting jiggy with it. 1 to 800 A.D.
God with owl headdress; Moche.
Dead man spanks the monkey.
Rear-entry, Chimú-Inca style; 1100-1532.
Moche portrait vessel.
In the museum’s store room: this cute little crab dude. Perfect for show and tell.
The museum’s store room. Absolutely frackin’ amazing.
Some days are like that. Moche ceramic, from 1 to 800 A.D.
And this is what happens when you have all that unprotected sex: you get nasty growths on your privates; Moche.
Schlongarrific vessels from the Nazca, Virú and Moche cultures.
Do not mess with this dude: Moche feline deity.
I’m thinking Night at the Museum: Part III. Moche vessel of a dead man with gigantor pipi.
And this has got to be one of my favorites: a half-man/half-feline vessel produced by the Cupisnique culture sometime between 1250 BC and 1 A.D. Sublime!
awesome! love the Chimu stuff. I want to go to Chan Chan and see whats going on up there. good photographs!
what a cutə crabby
Your captions are virtually as good as the art that inspired them.