Fox Runner Effigy Vessel

Item number 36.332 from the Brooklyn Museum.

Public

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Data
Data Source

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Description

Stirrup-spout effigy vessel depicting a seated anthropomorphic fox (fox runner) with a fox head and human body. The figure wears a large circular disk headdress, a woven belt, and wrist and leg ornaments. He grasps the headdress ties in his hands. Condition: good.

Label

The anthropomorphic fox on this Moche effigy vessel wears a large, circular disk headdress that is also seen on fineline painted vessels, where it is associated with Ritual Runners, figures shown racing through desert landscapes. Similar disks in gold and copper have been found in elite burials, suggesting that Ritual Runners were a high-ranking group of adult males, possibly priests, who participated in a special ceremony. Scholars believe that Moche priests consumed the hallucinogenic San Pedro cactus in order to transform themselves into animal spirit helpers such as the fox.

Este zorro antropomórfico en esta vasija efigie Moche lleva un gran tocado circular que se ha visto también en vasijas pintadas con línea fina, donde se asocia con Corredores Rituales, figuras representadas corriendo a través de paisajes desiertos. Discos similares en oro y cobre han sido encontrados en enterratorios de élite, sugiriendo que los Corredores Rituales eran un grupo de hombres adultos de alto rango, posiblemente sacerdotes, que participaban en una ceremonia especial. Académicos creen que los sacerdotes Moche consumían el alucinógeno San Pedro para transformarse en espíritus animales ayudantes como el zorro.

Credit Line

Gift of Mrs. Eugene Schaefer

Item History

Made between 400 and 700

What

Name: Fox Runner Effigy Vessel
Identification Number: 36.332
Type of Item: effigy, vessel, runner and fox
Material: ceramic and pigment
Overall: length 10.75 in, width 5.75 in, height 8.875 in

Where

Holding Institution: Brooklyn Museum

Who

Culture: Moche

When

Creation Date: between 400 and 700

Other

Location: Arts of the Americas Galleries, 5th Floor
Classification: Vessel

This data has been provided to the RRN by the Brooklyn Museum. We've used it to provide the information on the Data tab.

Accession Number

36.332

Title

Fox Runner Effigy Vessel

Medium

Ceramic, pigments

Culture

Moche

Object Date

400 to 700

Dimensions

10 3/4 x 5 3/4 x 8 7/8 in. (27.3 x 14.6 x 22.5 cm)

Location

Arts of the Americas Galleries, 5th Floor

Classification

Vessel

Label

The anthropomorphic fox on this Moche effigy vessel wears a large, circular disk headdress that is also seen on fineline painted vessels, where it is associated with Ritual Runners, figures shown racing through desert landscapes. Similar disks in gold and copper have been found in elite burials, suggesting that Ritual Runners were a high-ranking group of adult males, possibly priests, who participated in a special ceremony. Scholars believe that Moche priests consumed the hallucinogenic San Pedro cactus in order to transform themselves into animal spirit helpers such as the fox. Este zorro antropomórfico en esta vasija efigie Moche lleva un gran tocado circular que se ha visto también en vasijas pintadas con línea fina, donde se asocia con Corredores Rituales, figuras representadas corriendo a través de paisajes desiertos. Discos similares en oro y cobre han sido encontrados en enterratorios de élite, sugiriendo que los Corredores Rituales eran un grupo de hombres adultos de alto rango, posiblemente sacerdotes, que participaban en una ceremonia especial. Académicos creen que los sacerdotes Moche consumían el alucinógeno San Pedro para transformarse en espíritus animales ayudantes como el zorro.