South America, Chile, Atacama Desert, Araucanian, Spanish Colonial, ca. A pair of copper silver alloy cuffs or arm guards known as vambraces. Vambraces were forearm guards used in Medieval coats of armor, the smaller wrist end would fit into an armored glove or gauntlet while the wider end fit into a flexible elbow guard called a couter. These were discovered while searching for Spanish coins in a buried cache with a total of 10 similar armbands. The location, style, material, and weathering suggests these may have been made post Spanish contact, in the 1500s- perhaps made by indigenous people with Spanish influence as decorative items. Size: 5.875" L x 3.6" W (14.9 cm x 9.1 cm)

Provenance: private Glorieta, New Mexico, USA collection, before 2010

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#160189

Loss to incurved edges as shown on both and tears to these areas. Stable hair line fissures and creases on surfaces. Green patina dark toning.