< Back to Female and male body

Duality

Room 2, Vitrine 07

• In the Andean worldview, life is made possible through a generative encounter (tinkuy) between opposite complementary forces (yanantin). Female and male bodies are an expression of this duality.
• Pottery bottle depicting a vulva and clitoris modeled in detail on the main body of the vessel, with the pubic hair indicated using incised decoration. The black color of the piece is associated with the symbolic relationship of the feminine with the nocturnal space, and with the underworld.
• Sculptural clay pitcher depicting a flaccid penis and large testicles. Unlike the majority of sculptural vessels, in which the penis is depicted as erect, on this pitcher the testicles are emphasized as the main bodies of the vessel and the penis is shown when flaccid, with the glans exposed.
• Clay bottle representing duality through the use of two alternating, complementary colors, in both the vessel and the spout.
• Moche culture, Florescent Epoch (1 AD – 800 AD), ML004202, ML004204, ML010814.

ML004202