Knife Item Number: Sf593 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
A slightly flaring blade with central hole at the blunt end. One side has incised design of two interlocking, snake-like figures, each with a head on each end. Traces of a thin layer of gilding appear on one side near the hole.
History Of Use
May be a ceremonial knife that was suspended or carried by a lanyard like ones illustrated on Moche ceramics. A narrower knife with similar hole and incising (collier) can be iconographically associated with Moche-Vicus themes. The double-headed serpent on this knife has the Vicus stylistic feature of surrounding the figure with a halo of short dashes (Lumbreras).
Narrative
Vicus style, Early Intermediate Period, contemporary with Moche 1 and 2; 0-200 C.E.
Iconographic Meaning
The incised figures are double-headed serpents.
Item History
What
- Name
- Knife
- Identification Number
- Sf593
- Type of Item
- knife
- Material
- copper metal and gold metal
- Manufacturing Technique
- cast ?, hammered, punched, incised and gilded
- Overall
- height 0.2 cm, width 8.0 cm, depth 11.5 cm
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Peru
When
- Creation Date
- during 200
- 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
- 0711/0095