Copper Disk Ornament with Triangles
Unknown Artist
10th–15th century
Medium
Copper
Dimensions
Height 3-15/16 in. (10 cm)
Classification
Metal-Ornaments
Culture
Peruvian
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
1987.394.325
Art Historical Context
This exquisite Copper Disk Ornament with Triangles, crafted by an unknown Peruvian artist between the 10th and 15th centuries, exemplifies the sophisticated metalworking traditions of pre-Columbian Andean cultures Measuring just under 4 inches (10 cm) in height, this copper disk likely served as a personal adornment—perhaps an earring, pendant, or pectoral—worn to signify social status, ritual importance, or cultural identity. Its simple yet striking geometric design of triangles reflects the Andean preference for bold, repetitive motifs that evoked cosmology, fertility, or protective symbols,...