Huge Sican Lambayeque Gold Earspools w/ Naylamp

About Auction

Live

Exceptional Antiquities, Ethnographic, Fine A...

By Artemis Gallery

Nov 16, 2023

Set Reminder 2023-11-16 10:00:00 2023-11-16 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities, Ethnographic, Fine Art https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-ethnographic-fine-art-14161
Museum-worthy examples of classical antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Viking, Far East / Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Nautical, Fossils, Ancient Jewelry, Fine / Visual Arts, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com

View Full Catalog (267)

• Lot Description

  Pre-Columbian, Central Coast Peru, Sican / Lambayeque to Chimu culture, ca. 700 to 1100 CE. A superb pair of electrum ear ornaments made from 72.3% to 72.6% (equivalent to 17K+) gold and silver alloy sheets; the surfaces embossed on the front of the disc with symmetrical motifs: 2 stylized figures faces each other with double headed beasts. The flaring headdress indicates these are important lords, perhaps Nylamp. A wire strung with gold spheres accents the edge of the flared discs. These ear spools reflect the authority, wealth, and nobility of the undoubtedly elite wearer in both life and in death, they were usually buried with treasures such as this to bring to the afterlife. Both gold and silver were treasured for their symbolic meanings; gold was associated with the sun and silver with the moon- both powerful celestial objects and deities in Andean cultures. Size: 1.8" L x 3.25" W (4.6 cm x 8.3 cm); 5.5" H (14 cm) on included custom stand; electrum quality: 72.3% to 72.6% (equivalent to 17K+) gold; 24.9% to 25.5% silver; total weight: 108.9 grams
  
  Both or one of these figures is most likely Naymlap, the traditional founder of the Lambayeque dynasty, who came from the south by sea and colonized the region before, it was said, sprouting wings and flying off into the sunset in a dramatic display of his magical powers. He was worshipped by his descendants, and silver and gold vessels, weapons, and jewelry are all adorned with his likeness. Perhaps the other figure is representative of the current leader and owner of the earspools, communing and receiving power and wisdom from the mythical Nylamp. Buried in mounds, the elite of Sican and later Chimu cultures, would be entombed in high style. It is difficult to imagine just how much wealth each individual was buried with - for example, one of the few controlled excavations of a high status Sican tomb, archaeologists found 1.2 tons of grave goods inside of a 3 meter square shaft tomb that also contained a man, aged 40 to 50 alongside four sacrificial victims, two women and two children. This included vast quantities of gold, silver, and copper artifacts.
  
  Provenance: private Hawaii collection, acquired 2000 to 2010
  
  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.

  <b>Unless bidder has previously purchased from Artemis Gallery, the only accepted forms of payment for this lot are personal check, money order or bank wire transfer. </b>
  
  #179819

  Condition

  Indentations to front of disc and creasing to verso. Small tears and pin hole perforations to the shafts. Light mineral encrustations and patina on surfaces. Overall excellent. Old inventory labels and numbers on both.

• Shipping Info

  • All shipping is handled in-house for your convenience. Your invoice from Artemis Gallery will include shipping calculation instructions. If in doubt, please inquire BEFORE bidding for estimated shipping costs for individual items.

• Buyer's Premium
  • 26.50 %