Plaque Item Number: Sf590 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
A roughly circular plaque with two rounded protuberances that represent ears, two repousse circles that represent eyes, and a repousse oval representing a nose. There is a cut zig-zag line that represents teeth. Slightly convex with a gilded surface. There are four equally spaced holes around the outer edge, and two between the eyes, at the base of the nose.
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 the raised eyes, nose and upright ears, the rudimentary face can probably be interpreted as feline. The fanged, feline attribute is shared by the most frequently represented and probably most powerful deity of the north coast.
Item History
What
- Name
- Plaque
- Identification Number
- Sf590
- Type of Item
- plaque
- Material
- copper metal, gold metal and silver metal ?
- Manufacturing Technique
- depletion gilded, embossed, hammered and cut
- Overall
- height 0.8 cm, width 8.5 cm, depth 9.0 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
- 0711/0092