Pre-Columbian, north coast of Peru, Sican / Lambayeque culture, ca. 900 to 1100 CE. A silver mask, hammered very thin with repousse eyebrows, eyes, and mouth and a protruding nose. Six round, flat silver pendants hang from the face, three on each side. Around the edges of the mask are drilled holes to allow it to be sewn onto the cloth of a mummy bundle. Comes with custom stand. Size: 9.5" W x 6.4" H (24.1 cm x 16.3 cm);heivght on stamd: 9.45"M

According to local legends, silver masks were placed over the bundles of noble women (gold over noble males, and copper over commoners). The ovoid eyes that end in an upswept point at their outer edge on this mask are characteristic of this culture, which built large monumental centers at Batan Grande and Chornacap. Their elites were buried in deep shaft tombs, seated in mummy bundles, with extensive grave goods. For example, at Chornacap, recent excavations have found a silver mask similar to this one in the tomb of a wealthy priestess. The mask shows the Sican Deity, an avian god, and perhaps by placing it over the face of the dead, the people of the culture believed that the woman underneath would gain the god's immortal qualities.

Provenance: Whisnant Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana, acquired over twenty years ago

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#122985

Nice age patina. Slight bending to form.