Inverse-Face Beaker
10th–11th century
Medium
Gold
Dimensions
H. 7 7/8 × Diam. 7 1/8 in. (20 × 18.1 cm)
Classification
Metal-Containers
Culture
Lambayeque (Sicán)
Department
Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Jan Mitchell and Sons Collection, Gift of Jan Mitchell, 1991
Accession Number
1991.419.60
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite **Inverse-Face Beaker crafted by Lambayeque (Sicán) artists in the 10th–11th century, exemplifies the mastery of pre-Columbian goldsmithing from ancient Peru's northern coast. Standing at 7 7/8 inches tall a 7 1/8-inch diameter, this vessel from the Sicán culture—also known as Lambayeque—lights their reverence for gold, a sacred metal symbolizing the sun's divine power and elite status. Donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1991 as part of the Jan Mitchell Collection, it resides in the Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas department. The beaker's striking design fea...