Moche Culture (Peru)
(0 to 700 AD)
What happened?
The Moche civilization was based on the agricultural fields where they grew potatoes, peanuts, corn, peppers, and pumpkins. They were very adept at constructing irrigation canals to divert river water to water their crops.
The culture was sophisticated. The artifacts found give expression to their lives. They were engaged in hunting, fishing, fighting and sacrifice. The Moche are best known for their elaborately painted ceramics, goldwork, monumental structures and irrigation systems.
Civilization can be divided into three periods. The rise of the Moche in the Early Moche (0-300 AD), the expansion during the Middle Moche (300-600) and the collapse in the Late Moche (500-700). According to some scholars, the Salinar culture was intertwined during the first 200 years AD. The Cupisnique then ruled on the north coast of Peru. So, there is a transition period between the two cultures. There are considerable parallels between the iconography (= visual arts) of Moche and Cupisnique.
The later Chimú culture emerged from the Moche.
Moche Copper Beaded Necklace
± 200 BC to ± 500 AD
The necklace in our collection is made in different alloys and for the most part created by casting. A smaller part was hammered and folded into the desired shape. All beads are intact and have varying degrees of green patina depending on the alloy used.
The techniques employed by the Moche are arguably some of the most advanced in the world at the time. Even for the present (2022) only highly skilled metalworkers can perform restorations. Their skill in metallurgy was incredible. When the Spanish conquistadors invaded in the 16th century, they managed to produce the highly skilled metalwork of the Incas. Unlike the European metalworkers, the Inca blew through long pipes to heat the coal. They didn't use bellows. The Moche probably used the same system as the Incas later. The Moche usually used alloys containing a combination of gold, silver, or copper. It seems that the Moche culture has its roots in the Chavin art. Their electroplating and gilding techniques to make copper alloys look almost like gold or silver internally were used thousands of years after the collapse until the conquest of the Incas.
Most molds are made of a solid metal alloy. The molding process is very delicate. Even with the mold it is very difficult to mimic the process. The thickness of the sheet metal is an important part of the process. The details will not be captured if the layer is too thick, and the metal will wrinkle or crack if it is too thin. They found that 0,4mm was the ideal thickness to start with. The hammering thinned the plate to 0,25 mm. To finish it off, other pieces were attached to it, sometimes with the intention of being moving parts of the work. This was done by crimping the metal or using interlocking tabs and slots. Soldering was also used. As a finishing touch, reliefs, punches, and hunting (= opposite of relief) could be made of precious materials such as lapis lazuli and turquoise.