Profile Warrior Ornament
Unknown Artist
6th–7th century
Medium
Silvered copper
Dimensions
H. 9 7/8 × W. 10 × D. 3/4 in. (25.1 × 25.4 × 1.9 cm)
Classification
Metal-Ornaments
Culture
Moche
Department
Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Jane Costello Goldberg, from the Collection of Arnold I. Goldberg, 1986
Accession Number
1987.394.63
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Profile Warrior Ornament*, crafted from silvered copper by an unknown Moche artist in the 6th–7th century, offers a striking glimpse into the warrior ethos of ancient Peru's northern coast. Measuring nearly 10 inches across, this shallow relief plaque captures a fierce warrior in profile, likely adorned with a headdress or helmet, embodying the Moche culture's reverence for martial prowess. The Moche, flourishing from around 100–700 CE, were masterful metalworkers whose ornaments often served as status symbols, worn on clothing or displayed in elite contexts. The use of silver...