Power and Metals: Regalia of the Moche of Ancient Perú

Alicia Boswell
Assistant Professor, History of Art and Architecture, University of California, Santa Barbara

In the ancient Andes, metallurgical technology was driven by an ideological system that imbued metals with sacred properties. Unlike Old World societies, where metallurgical technology developed in response to the demand for utilitarian goods, in the ancient Andes, gold, silver, and copper alloys were used to create regalia worn by elites. These objects lent authority and power to those that wore them—in life and death. This lecture discusses the role of regalia in the Moche world, a society that thrived on what today is the north coast of Peru in the first millennium.

This event is in person at Santa Barbara Museum of Art's Mary Craig Auditorium.

In an effort to create the safest possible environment, please note visitors who plan to attend an event in SBMA’s Mary Craig Auditorium must show proof of being fully vaccinated OR, in some cases, supply a negative Covid-19 medical test result (taken within 72 hours prior to each event), along with an official photo ID, before entering the venue. Visitors must also follow SBMA’s mask policy and wear a mask in accordance with the recommendations of the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department (SBCPHD) and California’s Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) mask guidance. Capacity limited to 50 seats.