Miniature Bottle
Unknown Artist
11th–late 15th century
Medium
Silver, gilt
Dimensions
Height: 3 1/8in. (7.9cm) Diameter: 1 13/16in. (4.6cm)
Classification
Metal-Containers
Culture
Chimú or Chancay
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
64.228.424
Art Historical Context
This delicate **Miniature Bottle**, crafted from silver and gilt between the 11th and 15th centuries, hails from the vibrant north coast cultures of Peru—either Chimú or Chancay. Standing just 3⅛ inches (7.9 cm) tall and 1⅞ inches (4.6 cm) in, its petite scale showcases the extraordinary precision of pre-Columbianworkers during Peru's Late Intermediate Period, a time of regional innovation before Inca conquest. The use of silver, gilded with a thin layer of gold, exemplifies advanced Andean techniques that blended durability with opulent shine, evoking the sun's radiance revered in these soci...