Hammered Gold Band with Bells
Unknown Artist
1st–mid-16th century
Medium
Gold (hammered)
Dimensions
Height 1-3/8 in.
Classification
Metal-Ornaments
Culture
Peru; north 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
64.228.378
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Hammered Gold Band with* hails from ancient Peru's north coast, dating to the 1st–mid-16th century—a span encompassing vibrant pre-Columbian cultures like the Moche and Chimú, up to the early colonial era. Crafted as a delicate metal ornament, it stands just 1-3/8 inches high, suggesting it was worn as jewelry, perhaps around the ankle or wrist. Now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, it was generously gifted by Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Cummings in 1964. The band's creation showcases masterful Andean goldworking: thin ...