This paper examines the Moche civilization of the Andes Mountains, arguing that despite the absence of a formal writing system, the Moche were as advanced as ancient Egyptian and Phoenician societies. Drawing on archaeological evidence from pottery, jewelry, headdresses, and pyramids, the paper demonstrates how Moche handicrafts communicated rich information about warfare, social hierarchy, and religious practice. The paper also analyzes Moche survival skills, including sophisticated irrigation systems, agricultural ingenuity, and a pragmatic federal political structure adapted to difficult terrain. It concludes by reflecting on the civilization's eventual decline and its lasting influence on successor cultures such as the Nasca.
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They were master goldsmiths, magnificent weavers, and crafters of pottery that spoke, perhaps more eloquently than words ever could. Nestled among the Andes Mountains, the Moche civilization managed to survive in harsh climates exacerbated by difficult geography (G. and Smiley, 2004). Although they were far removed from the Old World civilizations of Mesopotamia, and did not develop the systems of writing that the Egyptians and Phoenicians created, a discussion of the Moche's handicrafts and survival skills suggests that they were just as advanced as those ancient societies.
Though they may have had no formal writing system, the Moche were nonetheless able to communicate. Their pottery shards depicting images of war, life events, and social structure may, in fact, be more helpful to contemporary archaeologists than hieroglyphics or ancient cuneiform (G. and Smiley, 2004). As Backmund (nd: 4) states, just because one civilization is more complex than another does not necessarily mean that it is better. Regardless, Backmund (nd: 4) also admits that archaeologists tend to admire the complex pottery and artwork that provides a vivid picture of a civilization — and this is precisely what the pottery and other handicrafts of the Moche accomplished.
The pots contained gruesome scenes of warfare and the torture of prisoners at the hands of the "warrior-priests." Prisoners of war were tortured and killed by decapitation or strangulation, while the elite ruling class watched, adorned in glorious regalia (Fagan, nd: 121). While the pots tell this disturbing yet historically rich story, the garments and ornaments of the ruling class communicate in their own way about the men who wore them both in life and in death. The elaborate headdresses adorned the withered skulls of rulers who once enjoyed great luxury at the cost of the peasantry, and jewelry of gold, silver, and bronze adorned the ears, necks, chests, and mouths that had long since turned to dust (Fagan, nd: 123).
In addition to the excellence in craftsmanship displayed by these adornments, chest plates and pendant designs featuring warriors further communicate the central importance of war to Moche civilization. Clay figures of Moche warrior-priests and remnants of towering pyramidal platforms further emphasize the gulf that existed between the warrior-priest ruling class and the peasant farmers who supported them through labor and agricultural skill (Fagan, nd: 123). Through the expressive paintings on Moche pottery, finely crafted jewelry, pyramids, and warrior statuary, archaeologists can understand that the civilization followed strict economic and social hierarchies within a deeply embedded warrior culture.
Beyond their handicrafts, the importance of the Moche civilization can also be seen through its survival skills. Faced with a combination of torrential rains and prolonged drought, finding food was a constant exercise in Moche ingenuity. Like the Old World civilizations, the Moche depended on their own irrigation systems to water their crops, and they managed this quite well despite the harsh climate. Fagan (nd: 123–124) notes the remarkable skill of the Moche farmers, who used the difficult terrain to their advantage by constructing sophisticated irrigation systems and cultivating fertile soil. Despite the natural disasters that would eventually ruin the civilization, the Moche's well-honed survival skills generally ensured plentiful nourishment from their irrigated fields and from the resources of the ocean (Fagan, nd: 123–125).
"Federal structure and warrior culture among the Moche"
"Disaster, decline, and influence on successor cultures"
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