Sculptural stirrup-spout bottle representing a character with malformation

This piece depicts a person who appears to suffer from some sort of disease or affliction. The ribs and collarbone protrude from the torso. While the left side of the face looks normal, the right side is terribly deformed. But the cause of this deformation is unclear; it could be due to a type of facial paralysis but could also indicate a grimace of pain. The subject’s hair seems to have been carefully smoothed and is secured by a band of cloth. In fact, this hairstyle is unusual in Mochica representations, and has only been identified in a ceramic piece found within an elite funerary context at the Dos Cabezas site. It stands to reason then, that both pieces portray the same real individual who must have lived in this archaeological site. (CD)