23. Stirrup-spout bottle with fox warriors (front and lateral view). Moche; North Coast, Peru, 500–800 ce. Ceramic and slip, H. 11 ⼀最 in. (29.8 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Gift of Henry G. Marquand, 1882 (82.1.29) suggestion that the 昀椀gure represents a human in a hawk facilitated an increase in production, and workshops near costume. On another vessel, two warriors, one painted ritual centers expanded, facilitating the development and 12 on either side, run swiftly through a desert landscape, distribution of 昀椀ne ceramics. The vessel bodies were indicated by a wavy ground line and cactus plants (昀椀g. 23). shaped by two-piece molds, and then the stirrup-spouts, 13 Here the warriors’ faces and tails are those of foxes, keen formed with the help of wooden rods, were attached. hunters known for their speed and cunning, while the The introduction of molds did not, however, diminish the warriors’ regalia is carefully detailed, down to the pat- degree of variation or creative expression in such vessels, terns of their tunics. Are we to understand these 昀椀gures as Moche potters 昀椀nished mold-made works in di昀昀erent as supernatural beings or mythological heroes? Or do they ways, such as modeling and painting distinct headdresses, symbolically represent distinct classes of Moche warriors, ear ornaments, and other details, so that no two are with the selection of animal re昀氀ecting their prowess in exactly alike. hunting? While these questions cannot be answered with The bottle with the fox warriors was painted in a certainty, in Moche ceramics it seems clear that animals style known as 昀椀neline, developed by Moche artists to were not part of a natural world to be dominated but, depict myriad aspects of life in increasing detail over the rather, were beings to emulate and whose abilities—昀氀ying, course of their history.14 The 昀椀rst examples in the style swimming, hunting—were desired. were relatively simple, often featuring a single 昀椀gure Early Moche bottles were made by coiling clay to executed in a reddish-brown slip, which was applied build up the vessel, but eventually the use of molds, with delicate brushes made of human or animal hair 24 which was more expeditious, became widespread. Molds over a creamy-white background. The surface was then