The Vicús Culture - Findings and artistic expressions

Abstract

It analyzes the Vicus culture at the time when the Chavín civilization, which encompassed a large part of the Peruvian territory, ceased to exert its dominant influence, the Vicús culture flourished in the North region, in whose art certain qualities are manifested that reached their apogee in the most important northern style, the Mochica style. In the Vicús one, although in an incipient state, the tendency towards realistic representation, the strong sculptural modeling and the vital character that we find in Mochicas artistic expressions can be observed. The Vicús culture was discovered just two decades ago. In 1953, ceramics and gold objects of this style, which had been clandestinely extracted from the cemeteries of Frías, in the province of Ayábaca, were seized by the police. Other specimens were acquired by private collectors. One of the first archaeologists to visit this area was Ramiro Matos Mendieta, who, in 1963, was commissioned by the 'National Archeology Board to verify the origin of the huacos whose style was known by the name of Ayabaca