Conical-spout vessel with representation of a kneeling warrior carrying a shield and staring towards the horizon

This is an exceptional piece of Mochica art. It depicts a warrior who appears to be shielding his eyes from the sun while looking at a distance. Although sculptural images of single warriors are quite common in Early Mochica art, they are almost always presented in conventional attitudes, such as kneeling with one leg and looking straight ahead. Very few pieces have both the artistic quality and emphasis on the natural that this one possesses. Isolated or as part of complex scenes, the various representations of this kind can be catalogued in what is known as the Warrior Narrative. A quick reading of this sequence of images suggests that the essence of Mochica combat was the expression of individual worth i.e., the purpose of combat would not have been to kill the enemy but to capture him for ritual sacrifice. In Mochica society warriors participating in ritual combat would have done so willingly, even when the fate of the vanquished was a predictable consequence. (CD)