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![A high-ranking official of the Moche [MO-chay] people in Peru like the one pictured on this jar would have worn jewelry on his ears, wrists, and hat.](http://www.artsmia.org/mia/images/04/mia_4519g.jpg)
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A high-ranking official of the Moche [MO-chay] people in Peru like the one pictured on this jar would have worn jewelry on his ears, wrists, and hat.
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Some people of the ancient Americas lived in large cities ruled by kings. Other cultural groups lived in small villages led by chiefs. In both cases, the elite of a society used art to show their power.
In large cities, such as Teotihuacan (TAY-o-tee-wa-KAHN) in ancient Mexico, art decorated the king’s court and other official buildings. Sculptures and rich materials also appeared in areas for performing rituals to protect the king’s power.
Smaller communities did not have the elaborate buildings of the large cities. But leaders of both large and small communities used art in the form of jewelry, costumes, and headdresses to show their power. Not surprisingly, rare materials like jade and gold were popular symbols of status. Colorful feathers from South American jungles were commonly used in costumes, reaching even the southwestern United States through trade.
Materials were also prized for their symbolic meanings. Jade, green like growing ears of corn, was a symbol of fertility for some Central Americans. Gold suggested the power of the sun.
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