Photo Credit: Minneapolis Institute of Arts http://www.artsMIA.

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Venus Unborn: A Moche Vessel

By Clifford C. Richey January 2012

Illustration 1: The Vessel This a rather simple Moche composition but it follows all the rules of written sign language as outlined in previous papers. Mainly, an Initial Form followed by other Forms and Imagery with much of the Imagery composed through the use of gesture signs. There are literally hundreds of gesture signs that have been historically documented by such writers as Garrett Mallery, and William Tomkins.1 Unfortunately there is little or no documentation as to the meaning of Form and Imagery. Some clues can be gathered from reading the Popul Vuh (Mayan) and books on Moche Iconography by Christopher Donnan. Mostly, however, one has to deduce the meaning of Form and Imagery within the context of the gesture signs. This has to be done through a trial and error basis until their associational value can be reasonably established. This paper and previous papers were not intended for readers with only a casual interest in Native American Signs. One needs to have some, in depth, knowledge of at least a few Native American cultures in order to see the continuity of the signs both cross culturally and historically. If there was not a strong conservatism related to the signs over the generations they would have become useless for the purpose of communication between cultures speaking different languages. They would also become useless for the preservation of the all important cosmological concepts. There is much more to be learned about this elusive and subtle communication system. Partly due to its subtlety and partly because investigators most often come from a European tradition. The very idea that these signs could have formed a written language is not even considered. The Imagery is often considered an Art Form, Iconography, or even imagery created by shaman under the influence of drugs.
1 http://www.inquiry.net/outdoor/native/sign/index.htm (When viewing the gesture signs ignore the depictions of the hands and focus on the form and lines made by the hands and fingers.)

This papers previous ones are used to test and demonstrate the use of associational Imagery and Form by taking examples from a variety of cultures and showing their consistency and continuity over time. Of course there is still much to be learned about the system of composition and the meaning of some signs. There also may well be associations that are not presently recognized. For the moment the results are encouraging and may give us the opportunity to obtain greater insight into mind set of the ancient Americans. It appears to be helpful to read the signs from the largest to smaller and from Form to Imagery and then the more basic gesture sign elements.

Illustration 2: Initial Form; A n Earthen Vessel or Container The Initial Form of this Vessel is one of a clay container that was used as a metaphor for the earth an earthen vessel. This was, apparently, based on the idea of a watery underworld. The opening in the vessel could also be viewed as the sign for a large hole in earth-female's head. The Vessel, the container.

The Overall Imagery of the Vessel is one of a pregnant female. Note the Stance, common among pregnant woman, of resting their hands over their swollen stomachs. Later we will see a sign that clearly indicates this is depiction of the entire Figure is female. The pregnant one,

Illustration 3: The Captive One The (blue) outline shows the Heart shaped gesture sign for, captured or a captive. The Hands also hold in. The container, Earth-female, Is Pregnant. The captive one,

Illustration 4: Egg Form, The Unborn

Within the captured sign is an Egg shaped Form that is the sign for the, unborn. The container, Earth-female, Is Pregnant. The captive one, The unborn one.

Illustration 5: More Signs

The next largest Form is the (green) vaguely U shaped sign that means a turning-place that holds... This is actually a compound of Forms 1. The Rectangular (not shown) place sign that was formed into a 2. (green) rounded edged U shape for turning while 3. the (dark blue) Indentation at the top is the Curved sign for, held as in a bowl. What is being held is the (light blue) Form for a male-spirit (based on the shape of the glans-penis). The male-spirit, Held, As in a bowl, The Turning-place. Below (a positional) this place are the Hands (green, white, and red). The Hands (a metaphor) refer to the Hands of the Sun, stewards of the Sun. This title was probably restricted to the lineage of the Sun who held positions as Sun-priests. The (red) Triangular sign indicates Earth-female or earth-woman. Next is a (white) Vertical Rectangle that indicates a vertical-place. The Four Fingers indicate the four directions and were placed one above the other as horizontal-place signs meaning, horizontal levels levels in all four directions or everywhere. The stewards of the Sun, On her sides, A vertical-place, Their many horizontal-levels, Everywhere.

Illustration 6: And More Signs Earth-female's Belt is a wide horizontal-place sign meaning the spread-out place or the plain. Internal to the plain sign are Three S shaped sign on their sides. These signs mean, taken upwards and downwards and it seems there is the Form of Feet (journeys) within them. The number Three indicates many, the many taken on a journey downwards and upwards. The Fourth Image is not clearly viewed. It appears to be an Arm and Hand ( the warriors, the stewards of the Sun made from location and place signs. The plural is used for warrior and steward because we have already been told, the many. Within the Hand there appears to be an earth-female sign while the Arm is a vertical-place sign. Beneath the flat land is a large (red) Triangular sign a sign for, earth-female. This sign was based on the form of the female genital area. The two Legs and feet on either side of the Triangle indicates, the journeys (positional) on-the-sides of the earth. The Four Toes mean, as stated earlier, everywhere. The broad land, The plain The place, Of The many, Their journeys, Taken upwards And Downwards, On The surface, Of The earth-female. (possible) The warriors, the stewards, On her side The location The place. The journeys, Everywhere, Below On her sides, East and West.

Because written sign language was multidimensional and non-linear The Moche would have held the Vessel in their hands and turned it as they read the signs. This causes a bit of a problem when translating from a photograph into English as there is a tendency to follow the signs and wander somewhat out of sequence. We will now move back up to the Face.

Illustration 7: His Face, His Appearance At this level of translation we have already determined that the Rounded Face is that of a male-spirit. The meaning of the Face Imagery is, the way he looks or his appearance. His Hair (positioned) on-thesides, is a compound of two Forms, a vertical-place sign (green) and an earth-female (red) sign. Compounded (the Form for arising), arising on her sides. The Arrow Shaped forms of the Hair point upwards to a large (green) horizontal-place sign. The Ear-spools also allude (positionally) to the orifices of the Ear holes. The spools are also form the signs for, holes. From the holes to a horizontalplace above. The Mouth (a water-source) is a (light blue) Straight Line indicating, the surface. The Lips (pink) are the Oval sign for all or everything). The Lips can be considered Double Lined and meaning, unseen. All in the water-source at the surface. The Nose is also and allusion to the Nostrils as holes and there is a (white) vertical-place sign on it and thus a place over the water-source (probably a water-hole or a spring). The Nose divides the Face into left and right sides. In signing the left equates to the east and the right to the west. The Eyebrows (black) are Fingers pointing the direction, here. They also are in the Curved Form of the sign for, covered. The Nose divides and positions the Eyes in the east and west (the Eyes being metaphors for Venus, rising in the east and west). The Pupils of the Eyes are (black) Circles indicating the one, the location, dark.
His appearance, The male-spirit, On her sides, The Holes, The vertical-places, In The east and the west. Arising, on Her sides Here, Covered, On the sides, The Eyes of the Sun, Venus, Locations dark. The Water-source, Everything within it. Unseen.

Finally we see the two Large Circles (relatively larger size means great) As a number the Circles indicate, the one. within the (green) horizontal-place sign that serves, when including the top of the vessel as Imagery, perhaps of a Hat. Its Form is that of the sign (as viewed from the side) for a hill. This Form may explain the swift adoption of the European Homburg hat by the natives of Peru. Such hats are worn to this day. It would seem that the hat's function as a cosmological sign when placed on a female's head (a hill of the earth-female). In any event, the Circles have the earth-female signs all Four (directions) pointing toward a Dark Circle in the center. Thus meaning the dark center of the earth. Centers were apparently used in the sense we speak of city centers today there can be multiple centers. These Concentric Circles with a Dark Center are also the sign for a hole as viewed from above. We therefor have two centers one in the east and one in the west indicating the two directions from which Venus will arise. Below is the complete translation.
The container, Earth-female, Is Pregnant. The captive one, The unborn one. The male-spirit, Held As in a bowl, The Turning-place. The stewards of the Sun, On her sides, A vertical-place, Their many horizontal-levels, Everywhere. The broad land, The plain The place, Of The many, Their journeys, Taken upwards And Downwards, On The surface, Of The earth-female. (possible) The warriors, the stewards, On her side The location The place. The journeys, Everywhere, Below On her sides,

His appearance, The male-spirit, On her sides, The Holes, The vertical-places, In The east and the west. Arising, on Her sides Here, Covered, On the sides, The Eyes of the Sun, Venus, Locations dark. The Water-source, Everything within it. Unseen.

We now understand that this vessel is concerned with and predicts the arising of Venus in the east and west. It was probably composed as a song or poem in reverence of Venus.