Mace Item Number: Sf517 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

A thick disc with a serrated edge and cut-out patterns surrounding a cylinder. The geometric, cut-out pattern repeats four times. Head of mace only.

Narrative

Vicus style, Early Intermediate Period, 200 B.C.E.-300 C.E. The mace head would have had a wooden shaft inserted in the central hole. Numerous Moche and Vicus ceramics depict figures with maces and other arms and armour. Maces of this type have been recorded from Vicus (Disselhoff). Cast objects from Vicus are sometimes copper or gilt copper (Jones; Lechtman).

Iconographic Meaning

Ring maces appear in depictions of men with arms and armour. They also appear as repeated devices in building roofs above important personages in Moche ceramics.