Vicus/Moche Jaguar Stirrup Vessel, 200 CE - 600 CE
Terracotta
height 23.5 cm
height 9 1/4 in
height 9 1/4 in
K.007
Further images
Though this beautifully spotted feline seems plump and contented as a house cat, he may well represent a god. In ancient Peru, the jaguar was frequently depicted in combat with...
Though this beautifully spotted feline seems plump and contented as a house cat, he may well represent a god. In ancient Peru, the jaguar was frequently depicted in combat with the serpent of death; this splendid cat may have been placed in a tomb to help the deceased along the treacherous paths of the underworld. Certainly his regal expression suggests that one would want to stay on his good side. Though the world in which he now finds himself is very different from that in which he was created, he still appears on the watch for the forces of evil.