Specialized Production of the Domestic and Ritual Mochica Ceramics

From the third Century AD, the Mochica society became the first expansionist State to develop on the Peruvian north coast. In the urban capital of Huacas de Moche, recent excavations revealed the existence of workshops dedicated to craft production. Thousands of objects produced by craft specialists were also found in various domestic and funerary contexts. This article examines the organization of specialized production of domestic and ritual ceramic objects at Huacas de Moche. Workshops will be described and the contexts of ceramic production will be discussed. The distribution and consumption of vessels and objects made by specialized ceramists will be examined as well. Through the analysis of consumption patterns, we will discuss the social roles played by ceramists in the economic, political, and ritual spheres of the Mochica society