Plaque Item Number: Sf580 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
A roughly circular plaque with one rounded protuberance at the top. The plaque has the appearance of a frontal view of a simplified animal head with ears at the top (one ear is missing). Slightly convex; shiny golden metal surface. There are four equally spaced round holes around the outer edge. There is a horizontal serrated cut that runs horizontally at the centre of the plaque. Above it are two convex circles with a convex oval in between.
History Of Use
The holes around the edge suggest this plaque was made for attaching to a backing, perhaps a cloth one.
Narrative
Pre-Inca, before 1476 C.E.
Iconographic Meaning
The serrated cut suggests a fanged mouth. Coupled with raised eyes, nose and upright ears, the rudimentary face can probably be interpreted as feline. The fanged feline attributes are shared by the most frequently represented and probably most powerful deity of the north coast.
Item History
What
- Name
- Plaque
- Identification Number
- Sf580
- Type of Item
- plaque
- Material
- copper metal, gold metal and silver metal ?
- Manufacturing Technique
- hammered, cut, depletion gilded and embossed
- Overall
- height 8.3 cm, width 7.8 cm, depth 1.0 cm
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Peru
When
- Creation Date
- before 1476
- 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
- 0711/0082