Terra Cotta Peruvian Moche Warrior Sculpture

Description

OVERVIEW
Vintage item
This tall, heavy jar was molded in the shape of a warrior from the Moche culture which flourished on the northern coast of Peru from about 100 to 700 AD. Moche pottery documented the activities of their civilization, including war. Made of terracotta clay, this Moche male is holding a club and a shield. He's wearing a rolled headdress, a bandanna at his neck and a chin wrap, also. His large staring eyes are painted with cream colored slip, as are many of the other details.
This Moche portrait vessel is hollow with an open spout at the top of the head that has a diameter of approximately 1 1/2 inches. Interestingly, there are tiny markings impressed on the bottom that are not Latin alphabet letters and are unreadable to us. (Zoom photograph #4 and you can barely see them on the foot on the left). We've identified this jar as vintage ---made before 2000---since we cannot state positively that it is pre-Columbian (which is why it's attractively priced).
Standing 11 inches tall, this pottery jar measures 5 inches across the shoulders, 4 inches front to back and weighs 2 pounds. There is light surface wear and a minute hairline crack running at the back of the unmarked foot for about 1/16th of an inch (again, zoom #4 and you'll see it faintly on the foot on the right). The wonderful condition of this handsome Peruvian Moche jar makes it a nice find.
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PYH 4155