Tweezers Item Number: Sf683 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Two leaves of gold coloured sheet metal, roughly triangular, joined and folded at their apices. Both are mildly convex and the curved lower edges fit precisely when squeezed. There is a circular hole at the centre of the fold.
History Of Use
Tweezers were used for removing sparse facial hair. An Inca sculpture shows a seated man plucking his beard while looking in a mirror. The use of tweezers spans at least 1300 years as there are moche/Vicus examples (c. 200 C.E.) and Inca ones as well (c. 1500 C.E.). This style is most similar to Inca examples.
Narrative
Inca Style ?, Late Horizon; 1476-1532 C.E.
Item History
What
- Name
- Tweezers
- Identification Number
- Sf683
- Type of Item
- tweezer
- Material
- gold metal and copper metal
- Manufacturing Technique
- hammered, cut and gilded
- Overall
- height 1.3 cm, width 4.6 cm
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Peru
When
- Creation Date
- between 1476 and 1532
- Collection Date
- between 1949 and 1966
- Ownership Date
- before May 4, 1981
- Acquisition Date
- on May 4, 1981
Other
- Item Classes
- metalwork
- Condition
- poor
- Accession Number
- 0711/0185