Hammered Silver Cone Ornament
Unknown Artist
8th–mid-16th century
Medium
Silver (hammered), gilt
Dimensions
H x W: 2 15/16 x 9/16 in. (7.5 x 1.5 cm)
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
64.228.488
Art Historical Context
This delicate *Hammered Silver Cone Or* hails from Peru's north coast, dating to a remarkable span from the 8th to mid-16th century.ed by an unknown artist, its petite form—standing just under 3 inches tall and a half-inch wide—suggests it served as a personal adornment perhaps for hair, ears, or clothing in pre-Columbian Andean societies. Now housed in the Metropolitan Museum Art's Department of Arts of Africa,, and the Americas, entered the collection as a generous gift from Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Cummings in 1964. The ornament showcases sophisticated metalworking techniques of ancient Peru. H...