If it were not for art providing us with a
privileged glimpse into secret worlds, we would
know nothing about ritual and ceremony in pre-
Columbian society. However, with examples such
as this fascinating statue we can begin to see
more clearly the mysteries of an extraordinary
culture. Firstly, lets examine the similarities and
differences in the couple. Both men are naked, in
the act of coitus, and covered head to toe in
body
paint or tattooing. The pattern is distinctly
different in each. The man in front appears as
the passive partner, with his mouth open and
eyes squinting in pleasure. The other's eyes are
wide open, expressively made with stubs of clay.
He wears a headdress very much like a crown,
and fashioned with such care as if to represent a
real object. He is in fact a great warrior giving
some of his power to someone weaker than
himself. Sex was regarded as a way of
transmitting energy from one person to another,
particularly valuable when it was from warrior to
warrior. This was not necessarily a private act
and may have been preformed in a public
ceremony. This explains why their bodies are so
elaborately painted, and why a work of art was
created to commemorate the event. It is
remarkable to think that an object which can be
held in the palm of a hand, can allow us to
witness a ritual which is still considered taboo
today; and opens a window into the mores of a
vanished society through the ingenious hands of
an artist.
- (PF.3973)
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