Reimagining Moche Vessels

Engaging and (Re)Presenting Precolonial Ceramics at the Pitt Rivers Museum

Abstract

Museums are increasingly challenged to address the legacies of colonialism in their collection and exhibition practices, particularly for archaeological objects crafted in worlds unfamiliar with post-colonial and post-Enlightenment realities. This paper examines the case of the precolonial Moche to explore how their perspectives can inform the interpretation and display of Moche vessels in European ethnographic museums, specifically, the Pitt Rivers Museum of the University of Oxford. By adopting a newly constructed ontologically informed embodied (OIE) approach – one that considers the socio-material interconnections between humans, objects, and Earth – this research reveals novel insights into the status of other-than-human entities, specifically Moche vessels, as not only mere artifacts but also subjects. It demonstrates how understanding Moche concepts of personhood and materiality, and the centrality of exchange and transformation within their ontology, can serve as a starting point to analyze museum exhibitions and inspire innovative display strategies that move beyond traditional, object-focused narratives. This approach contributes to broader discussions of museum decolonization and indigenization, offering pathways for creating intercultural spaces and representing the heritage of non-Western groups with greater relevance, awareness and sensitivity.