Ceramic ceremonial vessel that represents a scene of sexual union between Ai Apaec, mythological hero of the Moche, and a woman ML004359

Moche art presents a comprehensive set of representations of sexual activities, including copulation between humans and deities. The relief scene on this ceramic bottle portrays Ai Apaec copulating with a woman, who probably represents the earth. Ai Apaec (so named by Rafael Larco, meaning "the maker” in Muchik language) is the Moche mythological hero characterized by a belt and ear ornaments with snake heads, fangs in his face, and a headdress that varies according to the context in which he is located as part of his quest. This scene of union takes place in the world of the ancestors, since waves are represented at the top of the bottle, locating the main scene on the chamber in the inner world. In addition, there is a tomb guarded by a personage with mutilated feet. This primal union between ancestral beings generate a tree that has a symbolic connotation of meeting of opposites, as are left seeds of maichiles (Thevetia peruviana) - whose shape resembles the female vulva - and the fruits on the right are ulluchus (Guarea sp.), fruits associated with sacrifices and male fertility. (UH)

El arte Mochica nos presenta un conjunto amplio de representaciones de actividades sexuales, que incluyen cópulas entre seres humanos y seres con rasgos sobrenaturales o divinidades. La escena en relieve de esta botella de cerámica Mochica muestra al héroe mitológico Ai Apaec (así llamado por Rafael Larco, término que en lengua Muchik significa “el hacedor”) copulando con una mujer, probablemente vinculada a la tierra. Esta unión se lleva a cabo en el mundo de los ancestros ya que en la parte superior de la botella se ven olas, que ubican la escena principal en el mundo interior. Además, se puede ver una tumba resguardada por un personaje con los pies mutilados. De esa unión primigenia entre seres ancestrales se generan un árbol que tiene una connotación simbólica de encuentro de opuestos, ya que hacia la izquierda están las semillas de los maichiles (Thevetia peruviana) - cuya forma asemeja la vulva femenina - y hacia la derecha los frutos de ulluchu (Guarea sp.), asociados a los sacrificios y a la fertilidad masculina. (UH)