Necklace

Item number Sf671 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

Public

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Data
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Description

A string of 521 disc-shaped beads, mostly red-orange. The diameter of the beads varies from .2 to .6 cm. They are strung on a brown, hand spun cotton string. There are some beads of contrasting texture and colours like green, purple and black which may be stone.

History Of Use

The orange coloured beads of this necklace are probably made of spondylus shell, a type of bivalve found in equatorial waters. Spondylus were traded extensively to Peru over several millennia and were of such importance that they are frequently depicted in the art. Offerings of whole shells as well as beads and inlays are common in many periods.