Description:

Pre-Columbian, north coast of Peru, Sican / Lambayeque culture, ca. 750 to 1370 CE. A high-quality (97%) silver lunate pectoral, elaborately decorated with rows and rows of circular bosses in repousse - certainly created to impress and signify the wearer's elite rank. The crescent form of this object presents a wide reflective surface to the viewer. Beyond the purely aesthetic, this shape may also connect to beliefs about the moon - we know that among the later Inca, Si, the moon goddess, was thought to be more powerful than the sun, because she could be seen both at night and during the day. This pectoral most likely belonged to a female of high status, because in ancient Peru, gold was reserved for elite men, while silver was reserved for elite women. Size: 8.75" W x 6.125" H (22.2 cm x 15.6 cm)

Provenance: private California, USA Collection

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#145713

  • Condition: Some losses, punctures, and indentations as shown, but still a very respectable form comprised of high-grade silver (97%). We cannot weigh this piece, because it is set to a modern mount. Lucite stand is for display for photography and does not come with the piece.

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April 25, 2019 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000