Description:

Pre-Columbian, Peru (North Coast), Moche Culture, ca. 100 to 700 CE. A beautiful, large nose ring made from 18 karat gold. The ring is in the form of a crescent moon, hammered into shape with five low mounds around its face. At the inside of the crescent, two thin gold wires fold down to form a border along the inside curve; these end in twin, tightly-coiled spirals. The piece was made to be worn by inserting a folded end into each nostril, although, feeling its weight, that must have been fairly uncomfortable! Size: 1.95" W x 1.7" H (5 cm x 4.3 cm); 9.4 g.

The crescent form of this object mirrors that of many known Moche gold items - headdresses and pectorals also had the crescent form, and they derive much of their impressiveness from the wide reflective surface they present to the viewer. This object probably belonged to a male, because in ancient Peru, gold seems to have been reserved for elite men, while silver was reserved for elite women.

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection

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#124862

  • Condition: Light patina on surface. Accession number written on back.

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June 29, 2017 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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$20,000 $49,999 $2,000
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$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
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