Sound instruments and healing in the Moche world

Abstract

Moche Art presents individuals with certain attributes who are usually classified as shamans and healers. These characters carry, among other belongings, sound instruments. Here, we identify and classify the personages with the attributes of shamans (healers), individuals who are responsible for mediating relations between the humans and non-humans who inhabit the Moche cosmos. We will discuss the relationship between sound and healing, taking into account the complexity of Moche religious and political power structures. We will interpret this material in light of discussions on Moche ontologies and information on contemporary Andean shamanism.