Nose Ornament
Unknown Artist
13th–16th century
Medium
Gold
Dimensions
H. 1 3/4 × W. 3 in. (4.4 × 7.6 cm)
Classification
Metal-Ornaments
Culture
Colombian
Department
Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of the Estate of Samuel L. M. Barlow, 1889
Accession Number
89.25.5
Art Historical Context
This exquisite gold nose ornament, crafted by an unknown Colombian artist between the 13 and 16th centuries exemplifies the masterful metalworking of pre-Columbian cultures in the Americas. Measuring just 1 3/4 by 3 inches, its delicate form was designed to adorn the nose, a prominent site for personal decoration among indigenous elites. Gold, revered as a sacred metal symbolizing the sun's power and divine favor, was meticulously hammered and shaped, showcasing advanced techniques like depletion gilding to enhance its luminous sheen. In ancient Colombian societies, such ornaments held profou...