Huaco de estribo: Moche culture, Peru, 400 -700 AD.

Huaco de estribo: Moche culture, Peru, 400 -700 AD.
Terracotta.
It presents a slight restoration in the mouth and wear.
Measurements: 22 x 20 x 12 cm.
The piece takes the form of a duck in swimming attitude, with the body carefully modeled and the legs represented in relief in the lower zone, which reinforces the sensation of movement and connection with the aquatic environment.
The Moche culture stood out for its high degree of technical and artistic development, especially in the field of ceramics, considered one of the most refined of the pre-Columbian societies. Their potters worked mainly with red clay, although they also used variants in orange and smoke black tones, using molds that allowed a highly specialized production and a remarkable diversity of shapes. In this context, the huacos de estribo not only fulfilled a utilitarian or ritual function, but also acted as vehicles for the symbolic representation of nature, daily life and the spiritual world. The choice of the duck, an animal linked to water and coastal ecosystems, reflects the Moche's close relationship with their natural environment and their ability to integrate observation, symbolism and ceramic technique in a single piece.