Chimu Bronze and Gold Mummy Mask...

Description

Chimu Bronze and Gold Mummy Mask

Chimu/ Lambayeque
C. 900-1460 AD
Bronze and Gold
5¾" x 8¼" Wide

The ancient metal mask is crafted from a thin sheet bronze worked with low relief face of a King with large nose, tear shaped eyes, and rectangular ears with large plugs. The mask is mounted with a high karat sheet gold strip making a flared crown. The example would have been forged by shaping over a wood mold and interred within a mummy bundle, used as a false face for the deceased. The combination of bronze and gold is quite scarce, with this being in excellent intact condition. Bronze is the most rare metal for these cultures due to the necessity to combine tin with the very common copper and would require a high knowledge of metallurgy to mix. Very few Pre-Columbian cultures worked in bronze, as it is not a naturally occurring nugget, so, even mid to late period examples are rare. Comes with custom iron display.

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