Pre-Columbian, North Coast Peru, Sican / Lambayeque culture, ca. 9th to 11th century CE. A gorgeous gold necklace made up of 27 square appliques and 2 dangling triangles attached to a strand of Spondylus shell beads. Each of the square appliques are cut, hammered, then molded with the repousse face of the god Naylamp. The deity's visage presents with bold features - heavily lidded almond-shaped eyes with dotted pupils, a fleshy nose, a slightly open mouth, nasolabial folds, and is bedecked with a grand headdress and earspools. Each link is connected by a pair of gold wires through piercings at each corner. The dangle triangles are decorated with repousse snakes! The terminal strands are strung with dozens of pink, orange, and creamy white Spondylus shell disc beads. The piece is displayed on a green velvet lining over a paperboard and could benefit from a frame to display on a wall! Size (necklace): 11" L x 6" W (27.9 cm x 15.2 cm); (gold squares): 0.8" L x 0.75" W (2 cm x 1.9 cm); gold quality: 57%; silver quality: 28%; (backing): 13" L x 10" W (33 cm x 25.4 cm)

Naylamp (also Naymlap, Nanlap, or Nylamp) was the legendary founder of the Lambayeque dynasty who is believed to have come from the south by sea to colonize the region before allegedly sprouting wings and flying off into the sunset in a dramatic display of his magical powers.

This piece has been searched against the Art Loss Register database and has been cleared. The Art Loss Register maintains the world's largest database of stolen art, collectibles, and antiques.

Provenance: ex-private Saint Petersburg, Florida, USA collection; ex-private St. Louis, Missouri, USA collection, prior to 1970

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.

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Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.

#167545

Spondylus strand is strung in modern times uses a modern filament wire. Minor nicks to beads and ossification to shells. Areas of darker toning and mineral deposits. Tearing and perforations to gold appliques. Some creasing and bending of forms. The necklace is professionally mounted to a velvet-covered paper board using cotton threads. This piece cannot be weighed properly due to being tightly sewn to the backing. This piece is not recommended for wear.