Cast Bronze Staff Finial
Unknown Artist
8th–mid-16th century
Medium
Bronze (cast)
Dimensions
H. 1 3/4 × Diam. 1 1/4 in. (4.4 × 3.2 cm)
Classification
Metal-Ornaments
Culture
Peru; north or central coast (?)
Department
Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Cummings, 1964
Accession Number
64.228.698
Tags
About this artwork
This metal-ornaments titled "Cast Bronze Staff Finial" dates to 8th–mid-16th century. Executed in bronze (cast), this work represents Peru; north or central coast (?) artistic traditions. The piece demonstrates the technical skill and artistic vision characteristic of its period. The work's presence in a major museum collection attests to its significance in the broader narrative of art history. As part of institutional holdings, it serves both scholarly research and public education, offering i...
Art Historical Context
This exquisite Cast Bronze Staff Finial, hailing from Peru's north or central coast dating to the 8th–mid-16th century offers a glimpse into the metalworking traditions of pre-Columbian Andean cultures. Spanning periods from the Wari expansion to the Inca era, small ornaments (just 1 3/4 inches high) likely adorned ceremonial staffs used by elites or shamans in rituals, processions, or symbols of authority. The tag "Faces" hints at anthropomorphic features, evoking the human-like motifs common in Andean art that blended portraiture with spiritual symbolism. Crafted through lost-wax casting—a ...