Dying to Rule: Sex and Power in Moche Society – 2007
The world of the dead
Before he could journey to the World of the Ancestors, the deceased Ruler had to remain for some time in the World of the Dead. This was when his body began to decompose and become a skeleton. In his tomb, the high dignitary was laid out together with those who were sacrificed to accompany him on this journey. The protagonists of the World of the Dead are depicted without sexual activity, making this a neutral point between the non-reproductive ritual sex practiced by people in the World of the Living and the procreative sex of the mythical beings inhabiting the World of the Ancestors. This was therefore the crucial stage of the deceased person’s journey, as a prolonged stay here would threaten the continuity of power that this figure and his ruling elite required to ensure the survival of Moche society.
