Pre-Columbian, North Coast of Peru, Sican-Lambayeque culture, ca. 700 to 1000 CE. An amazing and sizable mask formed from several sheets of hammered copper arranged to form a stylized human face. The three-dimensional nose protudes out from above thin lips in the center of the vizard, the nasal bridge flanked by a pair of wide eye panels, and a pair of enormous ear spools decorate the bottom of the stepped-form ears. A spotted rectangular head band spans the broad forehead and creates a regal presentation. This mask was made to adorn the body of a deceased elite member of the Sican society - gold was for lords, silver for noble women, and copper for wealthy commoners. Size: 15.9" W x 12" H x 2.5" L (40.4 cm x 30.5 cm x 6.4 cm); 13.875" H (35.2 cm) on included custom stand.

This mask was made to adorn the body of a deceased elite member of the Sican society - gold and silver were reserved for royalty, and copper for the nobility. Sican elites were patrons of workshops that made fine metal objects like this one, and they took their wealth with them when they died. Buried in mounds, they would be entombed in high style. It is difficult to imagine just how much wealth each individual was buried with - for example, one of the few controlled excavations of a high status Sican tomb, archaeologists found 1.2 tons of grave goods inside of a 3 meter square shaft tomb that also contained a man, aged 40 to 50 alongside four sacrificial victims, two women and two children. This included vast quantities of gold, silver, and copper artifacts.

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection, acquired from 2000 to 2010; ex-private Hans Juergen Westermann collection, Germany, collected 1950s to 1960s

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.

#184532

Each piece professionally cleaned, mostly for removal of patina encrustations. Repair and restoration to proper right side of chin panel, with minor infill material in background. Minor tearing to both ear spools, eyes, chin, and some peripheral areas, and nose has been reattached with modern solder, otherwise in great condition. Wonderful preservation to overall presentation of facial features, and nice patina throughout.