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Sacrificing

Moche Bodies

University of Alaska Museum, USA ffeh{at}uaf.edu

The Moche of Peru (AD 100–800) practiced two forms of bodily transformation: human sacrifice and dismemberment. The sacrificial process converted the body into a sacred object and imbued it with meaning. The second transformation – dismemberment – partitioned the cathected body into ritually efficacious body parts suitable for use as offerings to the supernatural. In contrast to classic perspectives on sacrifice, which focus on the act of immolation, I expand this perspective to include post-sacrifice transformations, including dismemberment, consumption, and distribution.

Key Words: body parts • Moche • Peru • sacrifice

Journal of Material Culture, Vol. 8, No. 3, 285-299 (2003)
DOI: 10.1177/13591835030083004


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