PCSNY March Lecture—Jeffrey Quilter

The Pre-Columbian Society of New York invites you to join us for our March lecture:

Tales of the Moche Kings and Queens: The Lords and Ladies of the Northern Deserts of Peru

Jeffrey Quilter, William and Muriel Seabury Howells Director, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University

For some years now, Dr. Jeff Quilter has argued that it is inappropriate and misguided to use concepts such as “the state” and “government” in discussing the Moche of the North Coast of Peru. Indeed, he suggests that this is the case for many archaeological cultures that are modern creations, not prehistoric realities. In this talk, Quilter will explore these themes further and attempt to suggest how we might better interpret the phenomenon known today as “Moche.” For, after all, there is an apparent artistic and cultural integrity to Moche that ultimately is linked to what we think of as “politics.” The challenge for us is to find the best way to understand these linkages and concepts and language that will allow us to best express those understandings. Examples of how we might approach these issues will be provided through discussion of research on the North Coast of Peru with special attention to the El Brujo Archaeological complex, San José de Moro and the Huacas de Moche, among others.

Thursday, March 9, 2017
6 PM in the Lecture Hall
The Institute of Fine Arts
1 East 78th Street

Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. RSVP Institute of Fine Arts

Followed by a reception with wine and cheese in the Loeb Room