Tweezers in the Shape of a Bird
Probably 1000–1400
Medium
Gold
Dimensions
H.: 3.7 cm (1 7/16 in.)
Classification
metal
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
126269
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the glittering legacy of Peru's Chimú culture (ca. 1000–1400), these delicate *Tweezers in the Shape of a Bird* exemplify the mastery of pre-Columbian metalworkers from the north coast. Crafted from pure gold and standing just 3.7 cm tall, this functional tool—likely used for grooming, rituals, or body adornment—transforms everyday utility into art through its zoomorphic form. The Chimú, who built the vast adobe city of Chan Chan, revered gold as the "sweat of the sun," a divine metal symbolizing power and the cosmos. The bird shape evokes the avian motifs central to Andean cosmolo...
About the Artist
Chimú
The Chimú, a preeminent pre-Columbian culture of Peru's northern coast, flourished from approximately 900 to 1470 CE as the Kingdom of Chimor, emerging in the wake of the Moche civilization's decline and incorporating influences from the Sican, Wari, and Cajamarca cultures. Centered in the vast adobe metropolis of Chan Chan—the largest city in the Americas before the Inca, housing up to 60,000 peo...