Mold-Made Figurine Wrapped in Wool String Possibly 100 - 600

This small mold-made figurine, wrapped in wool string, was created by the Moche people of ancient Peru. The Moche flourished between 200 and 850 AD, a society where art was deeply interwoven with ritual and power. Wrapped, bound, almost mummified in wool, this figure resonates with themes of protection, perhaps reflecting a society deeply concerned with life, death, and the cyclical nature of existence. The act of wrapping itself speaks to care, preservation, and a desire to safeguard something precious. In Moche society, textiles held significant value, both practical and symbolic. The choice of wool suggests the importance of the figure. Consider the hands that carefully wound the string, each loop a deliberate act of reverence or hope. What does it mean to bind an object in love or fear? How does this object, small as it is, speak to the larger narratives of a people and their world?