Getting High in Peru: Get Thee to another Museo

Getting High in Peru: Get Thee to another Museo

            On Tuesday, October 8, we went to Trujillo’s Museo de Arqueologia housed in a 17^th century colonial mansion known as La Casa Risco. Its former (early) owners seemed to like Venice (Pompeii) since the murals on the walls, both the colors and scenes reflect that part of Italy. The emphasis of this museum currently installed, as with other museums in the area, was on the Moche, the Chimu, and a bit on the Inca. The Moche, who ruled from about AD 100 to 700 were the pyramid and platform builders, evidently had a highly organized religion, and were highly skilled ceramicists, metallurgists, and textile makers. They were followed by the Lambayeque; the Chimu followed them ruling around AD 900 to 1470, and the Chimu were taken over by or joined with the Incas.

            Photographing (without flash) is allowed, and the artifacts shown below again (as in the Bruning Museum) reflect the well-developed skills of the Moche. Eventually, I plan to place the artifacts and murals with the sites, since you may recognize that some of the photos and artifacts below go with the Temples of the Sun and Moon (for example).

 Entrance to Museo de arqueologia

 The pillars are cedar wood

 Mt Vesuvius Erupting

 Fresco on the ceiling

The following two murals are in better shape than what we saw at El Brujo
A warrior leading prisoners who have a rope around their neck.
They likely will be sacrificed.

The Decapitator god, knife in right hand, head in left

 Huaca (Temple) of the Sun, left, and Huaca de la Luna, right

The city is in the 500 meters between the two

Examples of the Moche ceramics

This ceramic involves a Shaman. I plan to do a separate posting on them.  

Some ceramics have fishing themes on them as below

 This type of reed fishing boat is still used along the coast

War Mural where the war club as found in tombs are used

Ceramics do picture naked prisoners with rope round neck 

Ceramics also picture the warrior

Another prisoner

Another warrior

A warrior with a feathered cape

 A feathered cape (from a museo in Arequipa)

 

Chimu Gold 

 Ear lobe plugs of gold

Moche ceramic with earlobe plugs

There are numerous example of beautiful Moche ceramics

A balsa wood statuette

We'll end with the god you do not want to meet

 

Paz y Shalom from Neal Bierling in Peru