Human Sacrifices for Cosmic Order and Regeneration

The Andean civilisations grew in an isolated fashion, with almost no influence from the rest of the world or indeed from further north in the Americas. The various Andean states and empires all came to express themselves in highly original and different art styles, not least the Moche. Here, de Bock presents a study based on his close examination of the art of the Moche - elaborate scenes painted on bottles - and clearly demonstrates the implications of this in the study of social and economic life. From the simplest scenes to the most elaborate, Moche art reflects models of social and political culture. The study is intended to allow the pictorial evidence of the Moche to provide insights into Andean civilisation as a whole.