Following Odysseus Not the end of the world Amarna city of light ...

8. Moche I-II vessel of a composite creature – partdragon, part cat, part human (arm and nose restored).H. 18 cm. (Lot 276; est. €6450. Sold €6200).9. Moche IV-V vessel with parrot head, AD 450-600, H. 20.6 cm. (Lot 60; est. €180. Sold €170).Moche IV stirrup vessel with a waterfowl spout. H. 20 cm (Lot 59, est. €400. Unsold).Moche IV vessel in form of parrot, expertly restored. H. 22 cm (Lot 58; est. €575. Sold €550).10. Chimu water bird figure on round base(handle and spout missing). H. 12.3cm.(Lot 75; est. €180. Sold €170).11. Classical Mayan ( AD 450-650) grey stonesculpture of man’s head with a bird form helmet.H. 28.3cm. (Lot 175; est. €10 000. Sold €9500).12. Aztec stone statue of a bird holding awinding snake. H. 22.8cm. Intact. (Lot 169;est. €750. Sold €725).cultural zone from that encountered furthersouth (Lot 1).This auction was a showcase for vesselsfrom the Moche culture. A star of the auction,as far as ceramics were concerned,was a Moche I-II vessel of a fantastic animal(Lot 276). It appears to be somethinglike a dragon with human (as well as reptileand feline) features. While these compositecreatures have an uncertain interpretation,artistically they meld human and animaltogether in very interesting ways.The straight depiction of the naturalworld is in comparison more commonlyseen in pre-Columbian art. Good exampleswere three Moche vessels (dating to AD450-600) that depict birds: two parrots, anda waterbird (Lots 58, 59, 60). To the moderneye it appears that these birds have personalities.While it is difficult to comparedifferent cultures, the European ClassicalMinerva November/December 2012world usually reserved such treatment fordogs and perhaps horses.The Chimu culture on the north coast ofPeru, which arose around AD 900, is wellknownfor a burnished black ceramic tradition.In style they clearly follow the Mochein design. The Inca conquered the Chimuaround AD 1470, shortly before the Spanisharrived. Their animals are of a similar butdifferent style. For instance, birds are represented,as are others, such as felines (Lot 72)as well as monkeys (Lot 77). The Inca encompasseda wide-ranging empire, and producedceramics in a variety of styles. Birds are wellknown to them as well (Lot 121).The Veracruz, or Gulf Coast Culture ofMexico, encompassed the central and northernareas of the present-day state of thesame name and existed from AD 100-1000.The architecture of this culture is known forbeing ornate, and a major theme is humansacrifice and the sacred ball-game. Minorarts such as ceramics can also have a moresinister aspect, such as this jaguar-headedwhistle (Lot 162). While the architecture ofthis culture has been known for some time,their ceramics have only been recovered inquantity since the 1950s, and much importantmaterial has ended up on the market.The Aztecs were also known for animals,and given their fierce reputation, it is no surprisethat battling creatures are not uncommonlydepicted, such as this stone sculptureof a bird battling a snake (Lot 169).An elite sculpture with a man’s head ofthe Classic Mayan culture (AD 450-650)was probably used as a trophy given to thewinner of the sacred ball game (Lot 175).The auction was for those whose particularinterest was artefacts of the New Worldwhich are worthy of wider appreciation andshould receive much more attention.57