Pre-Columbian, Peru, Chavin, ca. 900 to 200 BCE. A pair of matching hammered 14K gold sheet earrings, each depicting Janus-headed bird heads in their upper register, with a bird head below; each has four danglers that look like lightning bolts of rays of sunshine below them. They were originally covered in red cinnabar pigment, the remains of which can be seen. Size of one: 1.25" W x 4.7" H (3.2 cm x 11.9 cm); 5.95" H (15.1 cm) on included custom stand; 13.7 total grams

These items represent some of the earliest gold work from the Andes. The first known exploitation of ore comes from the Initial/Formative period, ca. 1800 to 900 BCE; during the Early Horizon (ca. 900 to 200 BCE), when these were made, the Andes seem to have been united under the cult propogated out of Chavin de Huantar. Metalwork was still quite rare, and almost exclusively of gold.

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex Hirsch collection, Germany

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#132606

Slight bending to form. Upper gold rings are modern. Could easily be modified to be worn.