Bilderzählung auf den Gefäßen der Nasca-Kultur: Der Fall des "Feliden-Menschen"

Abstract

This article is an analysis of ten Nasca vessels of the Early and Middle Nasca period (phases Nasca II-V) depicting various mythical beings in interaction. A very prominent mythical character of the Nasca pantheon, the feline-man, is defined. Half man, half feline he often carries a club and a bundle of ritual heads. He appears wearing a diadem, a nose pendant and a skirt. He is caught by gods who are bigger than himself. Like God F of the Moche pantheon the feline-man is involved in a variety of actions. In some cases he takes part in mythical battles. In general, interactions are a characteristic of narration. The analysis shows that, like Moche III-V fine line drawings, Early and Middle Nasca ceramic paintings are part of a story or myth. Apparently, the feline-man plays an important role as a hero-like person in the Nasca pantheon of the Early and Middle Nasca period.