ANIMAL ART OF THE DAY for International Land Snail Day: Snail gathering ritual on an ancient Moche vessel

“The figures on this Moche vessel hold gathering sticks that collect snails depicted in sculpture relief. The snail gathering ritual is taking place on a mountain suggested by the serpentine lines that arc across the top and front of the vessel. The snails absorbed mescaline-based chemicals while feeding on San Pedro cactuses, depicted here as the spiny plants growing on top of and between the mountains. Consuming them would have provided a potent hallucinogenic experience and an entry into the spirit world.”

[Reading Public Museum]
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