Fine Moche Copper Mask w/ Large Ear Spools w/ XRF

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Ancient / Ethnographic From Around the World

By Artemis Gallery

Jun 20, 2019

Set Reminder 2019-06-20 10:00:00 2019-06-20 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Ancient / Ethnographic From Around the World https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/ancient-ethnographic-from-around-the-world-4217
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• Lot Description
  Pre-Columbian, North Coast Peru, Moche, ca. 6th to 8th century CE. An impressively preserved, enigmatic, hammered-copper funerary mask representing the stylized head of an elite woman or man. The face is composed of a short, wide nose with flared nostrils and a pierced septum which once held a nose ring, lightly-rounded cheeks with lines at the corners of the mouth, a wide chin below thin, closed lips, and large semicircular ears. The recessed ovoid eyes are particularly striking - they have inlays of metal, probably a copper/silver alloy, but would have once had shells atop them to create irises. Lines around the eyes give the impression that they are wide open. On the ears are magnificent round earrings, each decorated with eight small and one large copper disc attached by twisted copper wire. Imagine how these pieces would have flashed in the light when first made! Size: 11.75" W x 7.1" H (29.8 cm x 18 cm); 8.5" H (21.6 cm) on included custom stand.
  
  This mask is remarkably similar to one found at the site of San Jose de Moro in northern Peru in the tomb of an elite Moche woman - believed to be a priestess/queen. This woman was buried around 750 CE in a tomb with its walls painted red, offertory vessels in niches, and the sacrificial remains of two women attendants and five children. At her side was a tall silver goblet that linked her to rituals of human sacrifice and blood consumption. The woman was once buried in a wooden coffin (decayed when excavated) covered in copper plaques; at her side, but probably once over her face when the coffin was new, was a copper mask very similar to this one. This find - excavated in 2013 - was the eighth in the region of a priestess-queen, leading archaeologists to posit that the society was ruled by women.
  
  For a stylistically-similar example with additional inlays and a necklace, please see The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 1980.563.15: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/314337
  
  This piece has been tested for the presence or absence of particular elements via XRF elemental analysis. A full report is included with the purchase.
  
  Provenance: ex-private Texas, USA collection
  
  All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
  
  A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
  
  We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
  
  #136943

  Condition

  In excellent condition, with earrings and ears - which are separate components - held in place with their original copper components. All accessories are also in nice condition and present. Eye inlays are partially lost. A thick green patina has accrued on the surface, with some small flaked losses from the patina surface.
• Shipping Info

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