Bird Plaque Ornament
Unknown Artist
3rd century BCE–2nd century CE
Medium
Copper, gilt
Dimensions
H. 2 x W. 2 in. (5 x 5 cm)
Classification
Metal-Ornaments
Culture
Vicús
Department
Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Jane Costello Goldberg, from the Collection of Arnold I. Goldberg, 1986
Accession Number
1987.394.343
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate **Bird Plaque Ornament**, crafted from copper and enhanced with gild, originates from the Vicús culture of ancient Peru's northern coast, dating to the rd century BCE–2nd century CE. At just 2 x 2 inches (5 x 5 cm), its petite scale suggests it was worn as personal jewelry or attached to clothing, showcasing the Vicús people's exceptional skill in small-scale metalwork. The Vicús, who thrived from around 1000 BCE to 200 CE, were master metallurgists in pre-Inca Peru, pioneering techniques like gilding to transform humble copper into gleaming, gold-like treasures. This process in...