Square Plaque
Unknown Artist
3rd century BCE–2nd century CE
Medium
Copper (hammered), gilt
Dimensions
Height 2 in. (5.1 cm)
Classification
Metal-Ornaments
Culture
Vicús
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
1987.394.533
Art Historical Context
This delicate square plaque, crafted by an unknown artist of the Vicús culture from ancient Peru, dates to the 3rd century BCE to2nd century CE. just 2 inches (.1 cm) in height, it exemplifies the exquisite metalwork of the Vicús people, who thrived on Peru's northern coast in the Piura Valley. Hammered from copper and adorned with gilding—a technique involving a thin layer of gold applied to mimic solid precious metal—this small ornament likely served as a personal adornment, such as a jewelry element or ritual accessory. The Vicús were master metallurgists, renowned for their innovative tec...