Edited by Héléne Dionne Nn < OY a X * = Universidad Nacional de Trujillo Peru, Projet Huaca dela Luna Irv, PHLL56 INGO3 mWe31emD:miem Photograph: Steve Bourget The materials placed on the fabric inside the reed basket were retrieved layer by layer, as during any labora- n, but no order was observed that might indicate that the materials were part of a more complex series. The only exception was the piece of fabric decorated with plates made of gold or other materials that represents the skin and face (in relief) of a feline. When this piece was discovered, it was complete except for some parts of the feline’s body, and the head had been flattened by the weight of the fill. Not to go into too much technical detail, note simply that the object is made up of four main elements, the main one being an animal skin cut to indicate the general form of the object (the stretched skin of a feline). The skin is covered on each side by fabric onto which are sewn metallic disks of various shapes that contribute to the overall appeal and motif of this fine garment. The most vi which were no doubt cast using the repoussé tech- tory examinati ble pieces of metal are the four paws, nique. The spots on the feline’s fur are made from metal plates in the form of overhanging sequins, and black and yellow feathers inserted where there are no sequins. The tip of the tail is adorned with a metal disk pe Ahead, made from tree resin, was added to the initial leather and fabric structure. The animal's inted with cinnabar. tem 4 was lfetineed go ci above the ground of Bling D and 6o cm from MA. The most important tern was found diaterals 0 and CR. eis basket measuring 60x 46 x 45 cm and made of strip of red stems attached by caton cord sie, on aw ated with black and yellow Feathersinthe fom of wreaths, various laminated god objects were found, as well asa piece of fabric decorated wth feathers and a garment shape lie the skin of aelne 108aaad Artisans of Gold Chacchadores llystration ofthe ritual consumption of coca. Linden Museum, Stuttgart Photograph: Christopher 8. Donnan mouth is open and reveals teeth made from conus shell. The tongue and palate are made from one piece of hollowed copper. The two eyes are also made with conus shell, and the pupils are formed by two black stones. In addition to these elements, there is a ring on the animal's muzzle and a chin- strap made from cut and cast gold plates. Sewn. along the top of the piece are fabric ties filled with cotton; these were used to tie the garment on to the wearer’s back. The Ceremonial Garment in Mochica Rituals of Human Sacrifice What was the function of this ceremonial garment in Mochica society?.A scene in the iconographic art of the Mochica shows mythical figures and priests putting on and receiving this garment during a ritual evoking the chewing of coca leaves. In another article, we suggested that this scene is closely linked to the theme of human sacrifice as well as to ritual combat (Uceda, 2004). Recent iconographic studies on the theme of human sacrifice have revealed a sequence of images beginning with combat and continuing with the taking of a prisoner, the parading of the nude prisoner, and his preparation and execution. The prisoner's throat is cut and his blood is gathered in cups bearing representations of figures dressed as divine beings. Such sequences, with their varia- tions and different number of figures, describe the ritual of human sacrifice among the Mochica no Goldin the Americas as well as various activities whose meaning is still being discussed. Rafael Larco was the first to set forth the theory that the sacrificed individuals were members of groups conquered by the Mochica. Some archae- ologists agreed with this approach and went on to characterize the Mochica as an expansionist mil- itary state (Moseley, 1992; Lumbreras, 1969; etc.). More recently, Krzysztof Makowski (1997) as well as Luis Jaime Castillo and Ulla Holmquist (2000) have suggested that the sacrificed individuals were instead linked to a ritual battle. For its part, the Department of Anatomy and Physiology of the Saga Medical School in Japan conduced mito- chondrial DNA tests on a group of skeletons from sacrificed individuals and priests buried in the ‘Temple of the Moon, as well as on others buried in. the residences located between it and the Temple of the Sun. These studies showed that, with one exception, the individuals all belonged to the same ethnic group and were related by blood through more than five generations (Shimada et al., 2002, 2006). The present study, however, reveals a series of consequences linked not only to the origin of these sacrifices but also to the very structure of Mochica society. First, acknowledging that the persons being sacrificed came from the same Mochica group, these are therefore scenes of ritual battle between different groups and sub-groups who shared a territorial, social, and political reality, such as arefound in numerous early and even present-day Andean societies. Second, this sacrifice was not a demonstration of power, as in the case of societies that took prisoners from different but neighbour- ing communities. It was, instead, an offering by the ‘community to its gods. This offering acted as both a mode of communication and a means to con- solidate relations within the group and towards its gods and leaders. Third, as these individuals were blood relations going back five generations, other social and political consequences were no doubt, involved. ‘The ritual battle did not serve solely to “choose” the sacrificial victim; it must also have served as a catalyst to the conflicts inherent in a highly stratified society such as that of the Mochica. This symbolic garment is identical to those in the scene ‘evoking the chewing of coca, in which a divinity (the Divin Twin, according to Makowski Hanula) ‘wears the same symbol on his shoulder. In other scenes a warrior wears this symbol on his back; it is passed to the victorious warrior by the hand of the gods, which may signify that these symbols were associated with acts linked to the ritual of human sacrifice and thus became a mech- anism for social advancement aimed at alleviating social conflict (Uceda, 2004). This discovery is significant in that it enables us to reinterpret several narrative sequences from Mochica iconography (Uceda, 2004) and therefore to show that these iconographic representations evoke rituals that were fundamental to the power structure of Mochica society. ‘Warriors wearing ritual costumes in the form of feline skins Ceramicvase Cleveland Museum of Art Photograph: Christopher 8. Donnan ‘AMochica Ritual Garment ibliography Castillo, Luis Jaime, and Ulla Holmquist. 2000. “La ceremonia del sacrificio mochica, en el Museo Arqueolégico Rafael Larco Herrera? Revista de Arqueologia 11 (232): 54-61, Madrid, Lambreras, Luis Guillermo. 1969. De los pueblos, las culturasy las artes del antiguo Pert. Lima: Moncloa-Campodénico, Editores Asociados. Makowski Hanula, Krzysttof. 1997. “La guerra ritual” Pent El Dorado 9: 62-71. Lima: PromPerd. Moseley, Michael B. 1992. Incas and Their Ancestors. The Archaeology of Peru. London: Thames and Hudson Ld Shimada, Izumi, Ken-Ichi Shinoda, Steve Bourget, Walter ‘Alva, and Santiago Uceda, 2002. “MtDNA Analysis of Mochica and Sican Populations of Pre-Hispanic Peru.” In Biomolecular Archeaology: Genetic Approaches to the Past, ed, David Reed, 61-92, Carbondale: Center for Archaeological Investigations, Souther Illinois University Shimada, Izumi, Ken-Ichi Shinoda, Steve Bourget, Walter Alva, and Santiago Uceda, 2006. “Estudios arqueogenéticos de las po- blaciones prehispsinicas mochica y sicin.” Arqueologia y Sociedad 17: 223-54. Lima: Museo de Arqueologia y Antropologia and Centro Cultural de San Marcos, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Tufinio, Moisés. 2004, “Excavaciones en la Unidad 12a (amplia~ cién norte), Plataforma I, Huaca de la Luna.” In Investigaciones en la Huaca de la Luna 1998-99, ed. S. Uceda, E. Mujica, and R. Morales, 21-39. Trujillo: Facultad de Ciencias Sociales de la Universidad Nacional de Trujillo. Uceda €., Santiago. 1997. “Le pouvoir et la mort dans la société Moche.” In A Vomibre du Cerro Blanco, nouvelles découvertes sur Ja culture Moche, céte nord du Pérou, ed. C. Chapdelaine. Les Cahiers d'anthropologie 1: 101-16. Département d’anthropologie, Université de Montréal. Uceda C., Santiago. 2004. “Los sacerdotes del Arco Bicéfalo? ‘Tumbas y ajuares hallados en Huaca de la Luna y su relacién con los rituales Moche.” In Informe Técnico 2003, Proyecto Arqueoligico Huaca de la Luna, ed. S. Uceda and R, Morales, 237-59, Trujillo: Facultad de Ciencias Sociales de la Universidad Nacional de La Libertad ~ Trujillo, Ucedia, Santiago and José Canziani, 1998. "“Anilisis dela secuencia arquitectonica y nuevas perspectivas de investigacién en Huaca de la Laima,” In Investigaciones en la Huaca de la Luna 199, ed, S. Uceda, E, Mujica, and R, Morales, 139-58, Trujillo; Facultad de Ciencias Sociales de la Universidad Nacional de La Libertad — Trujillo. Uceda, Santiago and Moisés Tafinio, 2003. “El complejo arquitec- ‘nico religioso Moche de Huace de la Luna? Una aproximacién a su dinimica ocupacional.” In Mocke? hacia el final del milenio, ed. Santiago Uceda and Elias Mujica, 179-228. Actas del Segundo Coloquio sobre la Cultura Moche (Trujillo, 1 t0 7 August 1999), Vol. 2, Lima: Universidad Nacional de Trujillo y Pontificia Universidad Felinesica del Per ™m Goldin the americas