AS2005.1.2
This vessel is painted with the Anthropomorphic Mythical Being (AMB), a central figure in Nasca cosmology that appears frequently and in various manifestations, often blending human and supernatural traits (see also M.73.48.25 and .33). Here, the body is largely human, with dark red legs sticking out from below a short tunic. The large, front-facing head wears a mouth mask and headdress. Real examples of these items have been found at Nasca sites, indicating that there is a real-life aspect to the AMB. Perhaps it was impersonated by Nasca priests during specific rituals, or conversely, the AMB is the depiction of a Nasca priest or shaman in a ritual of transformation.
Here, the entire body is surrounded by arrows and in the right hand is a severed trophy head, alluding to warfare. However, in other examples, the AMB sprouts vegetation, and we know there was a strong link between ritual warfare, trophy-head hunting, and fertility in Nasca cosmology. Beings like the AMB, or the priests who embody it, mediate between humans and nature and were integral to the practices by which Nasca people appeased the deities in their arid environment. This elaborately decorated cup was likely made for a specific ritual purpose and would not have been used often, if at all, before being deposited as a grave offering.
2025