Moche Fineline Drawing: Arrival of the Warrior Spirits

Clifford C. Richey August 2012

Illustration 1: Roll-out Drawing Credit: Donna McClelland A multitude of warrior-spirits march or run together like the seasonal migration of a flock of birds or a similar seasonal swarming of insects. The (rightward) Stance of their Legs and Feet is the sign for arriving. The Cacti by their feet represented difficulty or hardship. We note that many of the animals in the Overall Scene have their Tongues hanging out. Dogs, Foxes, and Deer among others use their tongues as a means of perspiring. Thus the Figures in the composition are all tired or worn out from (all the depictions of Legs and Feet) their journey. The appearance of the Fox in the composition represents something very clever or wondrous perhaps akin to a miracle. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that Moche compositions were based on the essence of things found in nature and these illustrated associations were used as words and phrases creating complex messages related to the Moche cosmology. Due to the complexity of this composition only one section will be translated at this time. For basic information on how these compositions were organized see http://www.scribd.com/doc/85335148/Native-American-Written-Sign-Language

Illustration 2: The Arrival of the Warrior Spirits In this roll-out of a composition on a Moche vessel we see warrior spirits and their familiars or companion spirits. Although we do not know the Form of the vessel it is likely it represented the body of the earth-female. The warriors would have been walking around the sides of the Earthen Vessel conceptualized as a container. The Moche conceptualized the body of the earth as a vessel containing the waters of the underworld. The Figures are all walking in the same direction from left to right or in terms of gesture sign language from east to west (sunrise and sunset). The Stance of their Legs indicates, arriving from the east, heading west. In this paper we will use details from other sections of the Scene for clarification but we will mainly concentrate on the three, vertically positioned, Figures on the left side of the roll-out. The Largest and topmost Figure has the Face of an Eagle. The Eagle represented the daytime Sun, and from ancient times was viewed as a powerful spirit. The Sun has Human Arms and Legs thus what was being depicted was an Eagle Warrior, a Warrior of the Sun. The Figure has Wings and thus, like the Sun, was depicted as capable of flight. For the most part the color codes relate to their associations. The various shades of green for places. Light blue for male spirits, red for the earth-female, dark blue for birds and flight, yellow for movement. Due to coloration of the original drawing this could not always be done without overly modifying the original. In this translation the Associational Imagery is included so that the reader can more easily follow along. Words or phrases that are underlined mean that they do not appear in the composition as such but relate to Stance or Position. Hopefully this approach to the translation will result in a less wordy and tedious approach to the composition. The reader will still be able to match meaning to the signs as words and phrases are colored and follow the color code of the signs.

Illustration 4: The Helmet, The Mountain Peak

Illustration 3: The First Three Figures We are talking about these Figures as spirits but how did we determine that? If one looks at the Gender area of the Eagle Figure, in Illustration 3 above, one sees the Rounded (light blue) sign for a malespirit. This Form of this sign was based on the glans-penis as a straightforward way of depicting maleness. Further we note that on the Shoulder of the Figure there is another the male-spirit sign but this time it has Three (dark) Dots within it. The number Three was used as a kind of shorthand for, the many. Thus, the many male-spirits in the darkness. The leading edge of the Wing is a Severed Finger pointing a direction, here downward. We can also see (Illustration 4) the (red) Triangular sign for earth-female that was based on the Form of the gender area of the human female. The (red) earth-female sign also appears on the Heads of the War Clubs along with the Horizontal Rectangle (green) for a horizontal-place. that many of the Figures are holding along with Shields to indicate their status as warriors. However the Shields (the one that protects) would not appear to have much utility due to their small size. A possible reason for this is that on the gesture sign level these signs (as opposed to the Imagery level) have nothing to do with protective qualities. The Shields are composed of basic signs for holes in the earth, (Squares) houses, abodes, or lineages, and the four directions indicating all over --everywhere. The Helmet of the Eagle Figure is in the Form of the gesture sign for a mountain peak. The Helmet is composed of (green) horizontal-place signs and one (darker green) house sign. The Helmet's Tip is an earth female sign which is up-ended meaning above the earth. The Crest of the Helmet Imagery is composed of five signs, a (green) vertical-place sign and the (blue) Curved arc or bow of the sky, the sides (Cooked or curved lines) of the arc are in the Form of the signs for taken downward and their form is that of (tan) Severed fingers pointing downward to the Left (east) and Right (west). The (yellow) center is in the Form of a Tumi Knife indicating, a Ray of the Sun (a title).

The Helmet, the Mountain Peak.

A vertical-place, Above the earth. The arc of the sky, Within it, The Tumi Knife, a ray of the Sun, Taken downward, (Fingers Pointing) In the east and west. On the mountainside, The horizontal-places, The House. The Place, On the Surface, Illustration 5: The Helmet, The Mountain Peak

On the Right side of the Helmet is the Undulating body ( indicating, movement) of a Fox Headed Serpent (a wondrous stream of water) whose Stance is downward, on the side (positional) on the mountain peak. The movement, Of the Serpent, the stream, Down the side, The Fox, the wonder The Eye of the Sun, Venus Into the opening Of the Mouth, the water source. Here (Finger pointing)

At the Beak, the water source,

The Mouth of the Serpent, the stream Within it, The Eye of the Sun, Venus Held, On the surface, In the darkness On the side Of the earth, His death walk Below,

Illustration 6: Continued

Illustration 7: Continued

Here (Finger pointing) On the side of the earth.

The Ear Spool, The hole.

The vertical-place, In the middle Of the underworld. Held as in a bowl-place. (the compound curved place sign at the neck)

The War Club,The one that makes the holes.

The earth, The horizontal-place, Below it, Descending, The sides, In the darkness. The horizontal-places. The dark vertical place. The one, His location. The stopping-place Far below.

The Shield, The Protector.

The Arm, the warrior, The Hand, the steward of the Sun, His dark house, Unseen, The houses (4), everywhere, The dual holes. Illustration 8: The Slug

The Little Serpent, the rivulet.

Moving, Heading downward, The Eye of the Sun, Venus The Ear, the hole-place, Stopped,

The opening, The Mouth, the water-source, On the side. The Slug, slowly. Taken downward, A vertical-place, The opening, On the side, The surface, The horizontal-places. The underworld. The Places of the holes In the east and west Illustration 9: The Slug, Color Coded Now we will focus on the Mouse (the smaller one as compared to the Eagle/Sun) Figure and the Fox (the wonder, the marvel) Imagery. That the Mouse is almost as large as the Fox may have related to the importance or status of Venus. The dark green Heart shaped sign at the Cheek or mouth-pouch is the sign for captured or a captive. Probably an analog to a mouse storing seeds in its mouth.

Illustration 10: The Mouse, The Smaller One Like the Eagle-warrior above him the Mouse has its Legs/Feet in the Stance of arriving.

The Smaller One arriving, Venus arriving

The Slug, slowly. Taken Upwards On the side, Of the spread out place, the land, The horizontal-places (4), everywhere. The locations, the ones, in the darkness, The Great male-spirit, The Arm, the warrior, The Hand, The steward of the Sun, On the side of the earth.

The War Club, The one that makes the holes,

Above the earth, Descending on the sides, Stopped. On the surface.

Illustration 11: Continued

The Shield, the protector,

The Arm, The warrior, The Hand, The steward of the Sun, Within, The Hole.

The Legs/Feet, the long journeys,

In the east and west, Below.

The Ear, the hole,

Turning, Above (on the side of the earth-place) The Upper-side, the upper-world,

Illustration 12: His Face, His Appearance

His Face, his appearance,

The captive. The Eye of the Sun, Venus In the darkness, Within the opening, The Nose, The dual holes, The waiting-place, Within

The Mouth, The water-source,

The water-drop, The particle of water. The Mouse's Head, His face, his appearance. At the neck (yellow, V Form) the opening. This section related to the Mouse's Head tells us that a spirit of the Eye of the Sun is held (the green Heart shaped sign at the Cheek or Mouth Pouch area where a mouse stores seeds it has picked up), captive, at the water source within a drop of water. He is waiting to turn above in the upper world. We already know that the Mouse was a metaphor for Venus so it is as a spirit merged with Venus that the deceased warrior, his spirit, awaits his re-birth or afterlife. It was through the flight of waterparticles that the spirits ascended to the stars in other words through the evaporation of water from the spring sites.

Illustration 13: The Fox, The Wonder The Cactus Imagery was positioned behind and below the Fox. This may have indicated that this plant represented hardship and difficulty which has been, overcome and/or left behind. The Body of the Cactus was made in the Form of a Severed Finger pointing a direction, here, on the surface. The Spines of the cactus are the signs for multiple portals while the Stance of the Finger's Form is one of having been stopped. The Imagery of the Fox was composed from several Forms and these have been color coded for reference when reading the message it contains. The War Club Imagery connects the Mouse Imagery with the Fox Imagery. We will now direct our attention to the Imagery of the Fox. We can be sure that this is a Fox and not a Dog due to its bushy tail and pointed snout. In Moche compositions Dogs are spotted and have narrow tails and a more blunt or squared snout. The Fox is the sign for something very clever, or wondrous, A wonder.

The War Club, the one that makes the holes. Above the Earth Below The horizontal-place, Descending On the sides In the darkness. To the surface, Of the earth.

Illustration 14: Continued

The Ear, the hole.

In the Earth Waiting The Eye of the Sun, the steward. In the darkness

His Face, his appearance

At the Mouth, the water-source,

Illustration 15: Continued The Stopping-Place, The Nose, the dual holes, Within the Mouth, the water-source, The Water-drop, the particle of water. The Great Bowl. The great container, On its sides

A Vertical-place,
The Arm, the warrior, The Hand of the Sun, his steward, Below, The Great-male-spirit,

His Leg/Foot, His journey.

Below On the side Of the earth A horizontal-place The male-spirit.

Here, (a Finger pointing at and in line with the surface)

The Great One. ( a single Finger equates to, one)

The Star-place,
Awaiting flight. Ascending At the Mouth, the water-source. (the neck and head of the Bird Form the sign for ascending or taken upward)

Illustration 16: The Star Awaiting Flight

We have observed in previous papers how the Moche composer used Space and Form to add additional detail to the message. The present day reader does not expect to see space used in this manner so this part of the message is nearly subliminal. Here we see that the (yellow) Space between the Fox's Legs was used to advantage. The space was made in the Form of the gesture sign for a star but is somewhat distorted by the incorporation of a Rectangular, horizontal-place sign. This produced the meaning of the place of the star. Similar use was made of the space between the Fox's Front Leg and the Fox's Mouth (a water source). The (blue) Form of a Sitting Bird (the Stance for, waiting or awaiting) can be clearly seen. The Body and Tail of the Bird was composed in the Form of the Rectangular place sign with its Stance (Rightward Leaning) being that for the word, awaiting. The Neck and Head of the Bird is in the Form for taken upward or ascending and its Head is positioned at the Fox's Mouth (the sign for a water source). The total message reads: The horizontal-place of the star. The Flight, awaiting, arising. In other words, the place of the star, awaiting its flight. The Mouse and Fox Imagery cannot not be separated as they are connected through the War Club/Planting Stick Imagery. As mentioned above the Mouse Imagery is a metaphor for Venus as a smaller familiar or companion spirit of the Sun and of course, the Warriors of the Sun. This was related to the fact that Venus arises before the Sun in the east and after the Sun in the west. This relationship resulted in other metaphors used, by the ancient Native Americans, to identify Venus such as the WaspStar (Warrior-star) and the Wolf-star (the Spy-star). These metaphors have been discussed in greater detail in previous papers.

Illustration 17: The Warrior, His Sprouting, His Germination Illustration 18: Penetrating the Earth, The Sprout Arises

Looking back at the initial scene we see that the figure above and to the right of the Eagle-warrior is practically covered with plants, roots of Cassava, and even Peanuts. Obviously this warrior was involved in something other than just fighting battles (see Illustration 16). This warrior has the blunt snout of a Dog as opposed to the Sharper snout of the Fox. The Dog is the Imagery sign for a prophecy or a prophet. The prophecy in question was one of the sprouting of the seed or, in terms of the metaphor, a kind of germination of the sprint where it arises from the earth a rebirth. Attached to the warrior are three (the many) Cassava Roots where the roots indicate a beginning or an origin. Cassava pulp was ferment into an alcoholic beverage which may have been considered spirits in the same way we use the term in relation to alcohol today. The origin of the many spirits positionally in the darkness, below. The appearance of the three (dark yellow) Peanuts, (the many seeds that will germinate) was related to Venus and its dual Faces or appearances in the east and west. The shell of the Peanut was considered one but it often contains two seeds thus the two together or untied as one. The cosmological significance of the Peanuts is the fact that two Peanut seeds are often found together in one shell. Metaphorically the seeds are the spirits of the deceased and Venus with its two Faces is such a combined spirit (the two together as one based on the gesture sign for united.) This was also the reason for the gold and silver peanut necklace found in the Lord of Sipn tomb, a Moche burial. The

gold side represents the rising sun --the east while the silver side represents the silver of the moon and stars represents the nighttime. Further the U shape of the necklace represents the turning of Venus beneath the earth. The face of any Warrior of the Sun wearing the necklace would become part of the signed message. His Face, His appearance turning below and arising in the east and west. The Two seeds (spirits) together as one. In Illustration 17 we take note of the fact that the tip of the War Club outlines a + sign Form that means, places of crossing through the surface. The Leaves on the upper part of the stem (its Double Lines indicating an unseen process) are in the Form for arising. The Bud of the Plant is in the Form of an Eye (the Eye of the Sun, Venus). In these two illustrations we can appreciate the dual metaphors made-in relation to the War Club Imagery. The warrior metaphor related to the total Scene of the composition, while on the individual, Figure, level the signs point toward a more agricultural metaphor.