Pre-Columbian, Sican - Chimu Culture, North Coast Peru, ca 800-1000 CE. Crafted from high karat sheet gold, drinking vessel features face of the god Naylamp wearing Gold Ear Rings with turquoise beads, hair on reverse beautifully done in repousse. 70.3 gram weight. 8"H.

Interesting note about Pre-Columbian Gold... Alloy containing gold, silver, copper, etc was melted and then the copper etc etched away with a urine or plant acid so only the gold remained, which was then burnished. This technique was invented by the Pre-Columbian people, as they could not refine gold too well / separate one metal from the next.....only when they found gold nuggets in rivers was the gold 90% pure."

Provenance: Ex-Ian Arundel, proprietor of "The Curiosity Shop" on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, CA in the early 1950-60's. His shop was the meeting place of all Famous Collectors in those years like the Arnebergs, Vincent Price, Proctor Stafford, John Wayne. Mr Arundel was a contributor of many exhibits at the Los Angeles County Museum (LACMA) in the 1950s/60s..

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