Shamanism in Moche Art and Iconography - Maya Exploration Center

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create the wor-ld his "yellow intention" or "yellow purpose", areferencm to semen.They also speak of the shaman's journey aspenetration into the otherworld and in other passive sexualcontact terms (Heichel -Doimatof f 1971; 47).The Conibo novicesucks phlegm out 0.f his master throat after the master has dranktobacco juice.This happens nightly for a week and the novicesoaks up Nihue, or power, from the master which he may now buildupon(lllius 1992;65). Though from different areas and contexts,a.11 of those stories eli.tde to a concept that the fluids of ashaman have power in and of themsrlves.A scepter found in the 1987 Sipan @cravation also shows theFanged Deity having sex with a human woman inside an':er~clusurc?(F'ig~ire 70). Donnan suggests that it may represent anerotic legend involving the deity.This paper agrees withDonnan's hypothesis and %uggests further that the scene involveeritual healing in which part of the patient's treatment isintercourse with the shaman.The Mesa d~ Brujcr of the m~dern Moche shaman is 'notably .r .-absent from the depictions of pre-Inca Moche shamanism. As it isthe central el+?rnr:'nt of modern Moche healing rituals, it shorrXd bepresent in the ancient art if the two are indeed related.It. isproposed hpre that the ancient eq~livalent of the klesa de Brujn isthe enclosures roofed and/or surrounded by spears so frequently
depicted in association with shamans.The scepter from the tombat Sipan discussed in the previo~ls sectian is a perfectexample(flgure 70). There are many other examples.Around themodern Mesa de Bruju are swords and knives stuck into theground(Figure 71).She wrapone are meant to keep the bad spiritsat bay during the ritual (Hadingham 1987;174).The Spanishmirjsionaries no doubt frowned upon healing rituals and both good .and bad hrujeria is against the law in the modern village ofMoche.What once could be done in a permgnent location was thusforced to become more mobile, hence the creation of the Nesa deBrujo.t?_a.~.~oo~'iWenson noted that the Fanged Deity is sometimes depicted ascorn and other vegetables(Figures 72 and 75). The Treasurer ofSipan exhibition currently traveling through the U.5.includes anceramic image identif icd as "the ~anioc ~od'~. It is the FangedDeity's head emerging from the tubers.In the ceramic pieceshown in Figure 72 the Deity emerges from the manioc roots eatingmanioc.Turning one more time to the image Donnan: uses to. ..explain the Fresentation ceremony (Figure 48), one can now seethat the animal heads on either end of the sky band are eatingwflnicJc.Manioc dnes not grow in the coastal i-egi.ons and fallsintn the same category as jaguars and snakes; 0.FAmazon:ianorigin.To find reasons why manioc would be involved in scent!+
Page 1: &RH 395Spring 1994
Page 7 and 8: that Elizabeth Nenson called the Fa
Page 9 and 10: connected to shamanism and the call
Page 12 and 13: individuals as the individ~~als on
Page 15: At 10,200.Ft, the site of Chavin de
Page 21 and 22: other indicators.Henson notes that
Page 23 and 24: scenes of prisoners in the process
Page 25: skeletal death figures(Henson 19723
Page 29 and 30: that part of the coast.he sacrednes
Page 31: caught in the head.Once trapped, th
Page 35 and 36: 1947 -- Moche - A Pert-~vian Coasta

Shamanism in Moche Art and Iconography - Maya Exploration Center

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