Battles, captives, and executions are common themes in Moche art. This kneeling nude figure, with exposed genitals and bound hands, is most likely a captured warrior, soon to be sacrificed. Warfare, apparently waged between competing Moche groups, involved the ritual execution of prisoners. In Moche art, sacrificial victims are stripped of their warrior’s regalia and weapons, and tied with a rope around their neck and hands.

Infinity of Nations: Art and History in the Collections of the National Museum of the American Indian
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