Knife-wielding spider god mural unearthed in Peru

Live Science ^ | 04/14/2021 | By Mindy Weisberger -

[BenLurkin]

An ancient ceremonial building that was built thousands of years ago in northwestern Peru's La Libertad region was decorated with a painting of a spider deity clutching a knife. Archaeologists discovered the mural in November 2020, after local farmers damaged the temple structure during the expansion of their sugar cane and avocado plantations.

When scientists inspected the monument ("huaca" in the Indigenous Quechuan family of languages), they found a figure painted against a white background on the southern wall, in shades of ocher, yellow and gray....

The wall holding the spider god mural faces a river bisecting the Virú Valley, according to La República. This likely meant that the deity had a connection to water, and that sacred ceremonies were probably performed in the temple during the rainy season between January and March, when water levels in the river would be highest, according to Jordán.

Cupisnique culture prevailed along Peru's northern coast from around 1250 B.C. to A.D. 1, and Indigenous people produced the region's first known temples during that time, according to the Larco Museum, a privately owned museum in Lima showcasing pre-Columbian art. Spider deities were frequently represented on pottery plates and cups, and were associated with fertility...

[BenLurkin]

ping

[rfp1234]

[lee martell]

Herman the Hermit Crab is waiting for you at the beach, blade in claw! “Come out to play, why dont’cha?!”

[MtnClimber]

Spiders these days!

[a fool in paradise]

Don't send ANYTHING back to the kitchen. The Chef gets really upset.

[Jewbacca]

That’s a lot of knives

[Deaf Smith]

Spider Deity?

Could the use of the Spider be signage or label for DANGER like our use of Skull & Cross Bones?

Much like the Danger Zone in the Hot/Crazy matrix has a chick with a knife...she is not meant for fertility.

[stars & stripes forever]

Looks more like a scorpion to me.

Maybe it’s where the treasure is buried.

[Beowulf9]

That is IT!!!

[marktwain]

The wall holding the spider god mural faces a river bisecting the Virú Valley, according to La República. This likely meant that the deity had a connection to water, and that sacred ceremonies were probably performed in the temple during the rainy season between January and March, when water levels in the river would be highest, according to Jordán.

Seems on incredible leap of "logic" to another to another. None of that seems to be connected to much evidence.

You could as easily say, for examples, ceremonies were likely to happen when water levels were lowest, and water most desired.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

if only they had a holy rolled up newspaper or bedroom slipper to deafest it.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

I meant defeat.

[BigEdLB]

I didn’t know Obama was that old to be in a mural of that she

[Starstruck]

My son in law has Arachnophobia. A eight knife spider picture would make my day. Father’s day is coming up and I would love to be able to make his day. (I used to hate this SOB that defiled my daughter but I got 3 beautiful grandchildren from him). But I still like to torment him.

[Celerity]

Were there peruvians in Australia?

[Rebelbase]

This month has been a bevy of great titles.

[Rebelbase]

Looks like a giant excavator bucket ripped into the top of the rock.

[Darksheare]

I know.
May just have to ninja invade a worthy thread.
Spiders, you say?

[SunkenCiv]

Never take a knife-wielding spider to a gunfight.