Cutout Disk 6th–7th century Moche (Loma Negra) This gilded copper disk features a silhouette of a supernatural quadruped standing on a crescent shape. Made by artisans of the Moche culture of Peru’s North Coast, the figure has a long serrated tail, a tongue emanating from a fanged mouth, a curved element under the chin, and a serrated crescent above the head, echoing the shape of the tail. The horizontal position of the ear adds a sense of both forward movement and aggression to the figure. The jagged tail and crescent are characteristic features of a creature referred to as a Crescent Animal

Cutout Disk 6th–7th century Moche (Loma Negra) This gilded copper disk features a silhouette of a supernatural quadruped standing on a crescent shape. Made by artisans of the Moche culture of Peru’s North Coast, the figure has a long serrated tail, a tongue emanating from a fanged mouth, a curved element under the chin, and a serrated crescent above the head, echoing the shape of the tail. The horizontal position of the ear adds a sense of both forward movement and aggression to the figure. The jagged tail and crescent are characteristic features of a creature referred to as a Crescent Animal or Moon Animal, a supernatural being with elements of different animals, including canines and felines (Mackey and Vogel, 2003). The sophisticated use of gilded copper, and the understanding of the complex processes needed to achieve this effect, are hallmarks of Moche metalworking, perhaps the most advanced in all of the ancient Americas. The metalsmith skillfully removed the metal sheet around the figure, leaving multiple points of contact to the circumference of the disk to support and fix the figure in position. Gilded copper dangles were affixed to the disk by thin wires, and would have created a lively visual and aural effect when the disk was moved. The function of disks such the present example is unclear. They may have served as shield frontals, attached to a cane backing, but the delicate nature of the design would have limited its protective function in actual battle. Thus, these objects may have been intended for ritual use as symbolic weapon adornments. Alternatively, they may have been attached to textile banners or hangings. The Moche (also known as the Mochicas) flourished on Peru’s North Coast from 200-850 AD, centuries before the rise of the Incas. Over the course of some six centuries, the Moche built thriving regional centers from the Nepeña River Valley in the south to perhaps as far north as the Piura River, near the modern border with Ecuador, deve

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