Solsiré Cusicanqui explains that deer held ritual significance in Moche culture, whose territory combined fertile valleys with surrounding desert landscapes that shaped its worldview. Although the Moche domesticated animals such as llamas, deer frequently appear in ritual hunting scenes, possibly linked to rites of passage into adulthood or preparation for ritual warfare. She notes that the figures depicted, identifiable as elites by their large earrings, indicate that such ceremonies involved high-status individuals rather than commoners.