Moche Polychrome Drinking Vessel - Ithyphallic Warrior

Pre-Columbian, north coast Peru, Moche, Phase 3, ca. 350 to 500 CE. An intriguing example of a hollow-built and highly burnished drinking vessel depicting a standing warrior holding his enormous phallus with both hands. The man flaunts painted stripes on his legs, bangles on his wrists, and a stepped pyramidal tunic on his chest, and an incised groove denotes the base of the neck. His stern countenance bears ovoid eyes within heavy lids, a prominent nose above full lips, facial tattooing, dark hair that hides his ears, and a flared helmet with several petite perforations. The openwork design of the rim suggests that consuming the liquid held within could only be accomplished by drinking from the phallic spout. This amusing design was perhaps to amiably embarrass one's allies, humiliate captive prisoners, or perform ceremonial acts of eroticism. Size: 6.625" L x 5.875" W x 9.5" H (16.8 cm x 14.9 cm x 24.1 cm)

Thousands of Moche vessels have been excavated in high status graves at major ceremonial locations like Huaca de la Luna (Temple of the Moon), Huaca del Sol (Temple of the Sun), and Sipan. Over five hundred of these artifacts depict sexually explicit subjects and provide one of the most comprehensive records of sexual practices and rituals from ancient Mesoamerica and the world. Scholars posit that the breadth of erotic topics is suggestive of a sexually progressive culture that embraced feminism and homosexuality as normal human behavior while others perceive it as a movement of repression where sexual dominance was reserved for elite male individuals.

Provenance: ex-Barakat Gallery, Beverly Hills, California, USA, acquired prior to 2000

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#153768
Condition Report: Professional repairs to both arms, phallus, and areas of chest and rim, with restoration along some areas of chest and arms, and resurfacing with overpainting along new material and break lines. Abrasions and minor nicks to rim, face, body, phallus, and legs, with chipping and fading to original pigment and areas of touch-up painting, light encrustations, and softening to some finer details. Nice remains of original pigment throughout. Old inventory label beneath one foot.