Keywords: Moche - Portrait Vessel - Walters 482827.jpg The peoples of America before Columbus rarely made portraits of historical individuals rather they created more general representations The great majority of these were created in two cultural traditions the Maya of Mexico and Central America and the Moche or Mochica of South America who were contemporaries though they were not in contact Although the Moche also excelled in gold and copper work perhaps their best-known works are ceramic vessels such as this mold-formed example which has hand-modeled details We do not know what was stored in these vessels; some appear to have been made for the tomb whereas other shattered examples have been recovered in ancient trash dumps They are likely images of famous potentates or warriors some are depicted in martial attire and were used in rituals AD 50-800 Early Intermediate-Middle Horizon red orange and gray earthenware cm 20 96 16 51 13 97 accession number 48 2827 79368 Dr Ernest Lira Houston and Denver or Dr Peter Almendariz Denver or M Brenner Geneva Paul Shepard Tucson Arizona date and mode of acquisition unknown Economos Works of Art Santa Fe New Mexico date and mode of acquisition unknown Private collection 1988 by purchase Walters Art Museum Anonymous gift 2009 place of origin Peru Walters Art Museum license Moche pottery in the Walters Art Museum Huacos retratos |