The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of March 28, 2024

Deer-Headed Figure Vessel

Deer-Headed Figure Vessel

200–850 CE
Overall: 26.5 x 14 x 25.5 cm (10 7/16 x 5 1/2 x 10 1/16 in.)
Location: 232 Andean

Description

Moche imagery includes an intriguing world of creatures that mingle traits from different realms: beans sprout human legs and race up a spout, jars leap with human feet to pour themselves, and animals wield weapons in two hands. This figure, with a stag’s head but a human’s body, is an example. He is engaged in a coca-leaf chewing ritual and thus holds a bag for the leaves along with a container of powdered lime that is one of the ritual’s key ingredients.
  • {{cite web|title=Deer-Headed Figure Vessel|url=false|author=|year=200–850 CE|access-date=28 March 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2008.1