Juliet Wiersema: Moche Architectural Vessels–Ceramic Diagrams of Sacred Space
The Moche were one of many pre-Columbian cultures to represent their architecture in miniature in ceramic vessels that doubled as functional containers and even as acoustic artifacts. Informationally-specific objects of visual communication, these objects offer us one of the best sources of information on Moche architectural remains. In this evening’s presentation, Dr. Wiersema will examine the ways that architectural space was envisioned and pictorially communicated by the potters of the Moche, transforming an earthenware container into a specific and identifiable architectural space.
It was really interesting to learn more about this branch of Moche ceramics; when I took my South American art class, we only really talked about Moche head/portrait ceramics because we were so short on time.