Throats are cut with a gilded tumi.
...and blood drunk from ritual goblets.
Temple of Doom - Ritual Sacrifice in Ancient Peru, which is set to open in the Otago Museum's Special Exhibitions
Gallery on 28 February, will unearth the mysteries of human sacrifice, power struggles, unimaginable treasures and
supernatural deities of one of the world's great lost civilizations - the Moche (pronounced Mow-chey).
Without a written language, the Moche people, who occupied the north coast of Peru for almost 800 years from 50AD, used
art to record events. Most of the objects were excavated from unlooted tombs and were made by the most gifted artists
for the exclusive use of the elite. As well as being beautiful in their own right, these objects are symbols of the
supernatural, instruments of power and providers of wealth.
Most notable of the objects in the exhibition are the exquisite metal works and pottery. Their ceramics, which detail
rituals involving hunting, fishing, sex, agricultural production and medicine, also depict the rite of human sacrifice -
from warriors in combat to the act of sacrifice itself.
Ritual sacrifices were performed to assure prosperity and protect society from natural disasters, disease and war. Young
warriors defeated in ritual combat went to their deaths in the belief that their sacrifice protected society from harm
and fuelled the supernatural power of their rulers. As human sacrifice was the most valuable offering and blood was the
symbol of life, the warriors' throats were cut with a gilded tumi (a sacrificial blade) and their blood was drunk from
ritual goblets.
Make the most of this amazing opportunity to journey to a land before Inca and witness incredible human riches and
rituals - walk through scenes of ritual combat, make your way up and in to the Pyramid of the Moon and experience the
anticipation felt by the sacrificial warriors.
Visitors to Temple of Doom will also have the option to hear in depth commentaries about the ritual of sacrifice. The
audio tour provokes thought about life within the Moche culture of ancient Peru and is an invaluable tool in
understanding the mystery behind this complex society and its rituals.
This extraordinary exhibition will be on display in the Special Exhibitions Gallery from 28 February until 23 May.
Admission charges apply (audio tours extra). Temple of Doom is toured by the Larco Museum with the support of the
Peruvian National Institute of Culture. The exhibition is made possible with the support of the Community Trust of Otago
and is indemnified by the New Zealand Government.