Publication Date

2024

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Bardolph, Dana

Degree Name

M.A. (Master of Arts)

Legacy Department

Department of Anthropology

Abstract

This study examines 188 vessels from the Moche Valley in northern Peru that are listed in the Museo Larco online collection, to determine the distribution of Moche bulk luxury items like ceramics from urban centers to surrounding towns and rural communities. For the study, "bulk luxury" refers to the widespread availability of elite goods that are produced in large quantities but retain a sense of high status among a wide range of people. These items commonly appear in the form of bottle neck sculptural stirrup handle vessels. This definition serves as a heuristic tool to explore the role of these items in democratizing luxury while maintaining exclusivity, thereby shaping Moche cultural norms and values. This research identifies two principal urban centers in the valley referred to as huaca polities, the Huacas de Moche and Galindo. I map out the distribution of ceramic themes from these polities which include intricate fineline narrative-driven designs/ elite iconography and geometric patterns. I then scrutinize four smaller huaca-towns and two rural communities, assessing the influence exerted by dominant huaca-polities on the ceramic designs and motifs found in these areas. These peripheral sites demonstrate both a continuation and deviation from urban ceramic styles. Narrative fineline vessels are less prominent in smaller locations, but the characters seen on elite fineline vessels are represented via mold-made sculptural vessels. Due to relative ease of creation, these bulk luxury sculptural vessels were likely used to promote Moche beliefs in an efficient manner to a wider populace.

Extent

149 pages

Language

en

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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