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History of Moche Civilization
Moche, also called Mochica, Andean civilizationthat flourished from the 1st to the 8th century ce on the northern coast of what is now Peru. The name is taken from the great site of Moche, in the river valley of the same name, which appears to have been the capital or chief city of the Moche peoples.
What was the Moche civilization known for?
The Moche are particularly noted for their elaborately painted ceramics, gold work, monumental constructions (huacas), and irrigation systems.
What were the Mochica best known for?
The Moche or Mochica are perhaps best known for their ceramic art: their pots include life-sized portrait heads of individuals and three-dimensional representations of animals and people.
What was the Moche religion?
The Moche were polytheistic , or had many gods. The most powerful god in their religion was Si, the moon goddess . Since the moon was always visible, and controlled the seasons, Si was the most powerful god. In Moche religion, women could have an important role.
Why are Moche artefacts expensive?
While this issue is the subject of some debate, many scholars contend that the Moche were not politically organized as a monolithic empire or state. Rather, they were likely a group of autonomous polities that shared a common culture, as seen in the rich iconography and monumental architecture that survives today.
What did the Chimu eat?
The Chim cultivated beans, sweet potato, papaya, and cotton with their reservoir and irrigation system. This focus on large-scale irrigation persisted until the Late Intermediate period.
What type of government did the Moche have?
They had a hierarchical government and social structure. At the top were the royal family and warrior priests, who made most of the government decisions and controlled the Moche religion, which relied on human sacrifice. Warrior priests presided over religious ceremonies and conquered foes for blood rituals to gods.
How were Moche portrait vessels made?
These later portrait heads were created with the use of molds, with multiple vessels made from a single mold or matrix. The vessels were then painted with cream and red slip in distinctive ways, delineating headdresses, headbands, and ear ornaments.
What years did the Moche exist?
Moche, also called Mochica, Andean civilization that flourished from the 1st to the 8th century ce on the northern coast of what is now Peru.
Where is Chavn located?
Chavn Civilization. The Chavn civilization developed in the northern Andean highlands of Peru between 900 and 250 BCE, roughly 1,000 years after the decline of the Caral civilization. It was located in the Mosna River Valley, where the Mosna and Huachecsa rivers merge. A map of Peru and the western part of Brazil.
How do you pronounce Moche civilization?
What did the Moche make?
Moche architects and artists raised spectacular adobe platforms and pyramids, and created exquisite ceramics and jewelry. Their art, unlike that of most Andean cultures, is naturalistic and rich in imagery, inviting us to explore their world.
How was Moche pottery made?
This piece, like most Moche IV pottery, was probably made from a mold, fired in a kiln, and then painted. The yellow and red colors were used almost exclusively in funerary wares for elite individuals, so the colors of this piece indicate the high status of the individual buried with the pottery.
Where is the Chim tribe located?
Chim, South American Indians who maintained the largest and most important political system in Peru before the Inca (q.v.). The distinctive pottery of the Chim aids in dating Andean civilization in the late periods along the north coast of Peru.
What is Chan Chan made of?
The ruins of Chan Chan, which cover nearly 14 square miles (36 square km), are in fairly good condition because the area is usually rainless. The building material used was adobe brick, and the buildings were finished with mud frequently adorned with patterned relief arabesques.
Why did the Inca carve terraces into hillsides?
The Incas had to create flat land to farm since they lived in the mountains. They did this by creating terraces. Terraces were carved steps of land in the mountainside. Not only did this genius way of farming help them grow crops, it was also great for irrigation and preventing drought.
What was the purpose of stirrup vessels?
As they have been almost exclusively found in burial sites, it has been concluded that these vessels were often commissioned by higher level officials to be used as funerary objects.
Why did the Nazca make pottery?
This ease of identification is no doubt because, in a culture without writing, designs on pottery vessels were an important means of communicating shared ideas and religious practices. Not simply for everyday use, then, the Nazca created vessels for ritual use, burial offerings, and pure decoration.
What did the Moche look like?
The Moche built large flat-topped pyramids, made of millions of mud bricks that were used for rituals, palaces and royal burials. Left: Mud bricks of the Pyramid of the Sun. Below: Mural of a god on the wall of the Pyramid of the Moon.
Why was Peru a difficult place for a civilization to develop?
Peru was a harsh place to develop a civilization. The Andes are steep and rocky, with generally poor soil. Ice and snow cover the highest elevations year-round. Overland travel often is difficult.
What may be the oldest civilization in the Americas was developed by a people known as the?
The Olmec civilization was the first Mesoamerican civilization, beginning around 16001400 BC and ending around 400 BC. Mesoamerica is considered one of the six sites around the globe in which civilization developed independently and indigenously.
Why is the Inca considered a great civilization?
Famed for their unique art and architecture, they constructed finely-built and imposing buildings wherever they conquered, and their spectacular adaptation of natural landscapes with terracing, highways, and mountaintop settlements continues to impress modern visitors at such world-famous sites as Machu Picchu.
