Capturing Warfare

Moche war clubs are pointed at one end, and thus could be used either as a club or a spear. The objects floating around the warriors in this painting are meant to depict the dust kicked up during intense combat. The dust can be portrayed with dots, with a combination of dots and solid areas, or simply by solid areas.

Hummingbirds above the warriors in this painting signify speed and intense action. The trapezoidal objects hanging from the backs of the warriors, known as backflaps, are made of metal. When a backflap is depicted with half light and half dark color, the artist is indicating that one half is silver and the other half is gold. The rectangular elements with two dots, seen on the tunic and headdress of one of the warriors on the right, depict platelets of gilded copper that are sewn onto fabric. Paisley-shaped objects between the pairs of warriors are ulluchus, fruits that had a religious importance to the Moche.

The objective of Moche combat was to capture rather than kill the opponent. Defeat is indicated by a warrior losing his headdress and by the victor grasping his hair. The posture of the nude figure on the left indicates that he is dead. At his feet are a strap-handled bag, a war club, spears, and a spear thrower.

After a warrior is defeated, a rope is put around his neck and his clothing, weapons, and ornaments are removed and tied into a weapon bundle. He is then slapped in the face until he bleeds. The bodies , arms and faces of warriors are usually painted with elaborate geometric and zoomorphic designs.

After the defeated warriors are made to bleed, they are paraded as nude captives with ropes around their necks. Their weapon bundles, consisting of their clothing, weapons, and ornaments, are hung from the war clubs of the victors.

The nude captives arrive at a ceremonial precinct, identified by the large truncated pyramid with a structure at the summit. Some of the prisoners are being carried in litters by their comrades. In the upper right, a nude prisoner with his hands tied behind his back, is being sacrificed by having his throat cut.

Two nude captives, with their hands tied behind their backs and their weapon bundles at their sides, can be seen in the lower right of this painting. Their throats are being cut to drain their blood, which is consumed from tall goblets by the priests and priestesses above, each of whom is dressed in prescribed ritual vestments.

After the Sacrifice Ceremony, the bodies of the victims are dismembered. The heads, arms, and legs are made into trophies by tying them with rope.