Ear Effigies, One of a Pair Item Number: L77.37.2 from the Brooklyn Museum
Description
One of a pair of Olmec jade ear effigies. The naturalistic carving of these effigies beautifully conveys the cartilaginous structure and texture of real ears. The holes in the lobes may have held attachments because if they were worn as pendants, the ears would have hung upside down. The function of these isolated, body parts is unknown, although they may have been used as funerary ornaments.
Credit Line
Collection of Robin B. Martin
Item History
- Made between 801 BCE and 501 BCE
What
- Name
- Ear Effigies, One of a Pair
- Identification Number
- L77.37.2
- Type of Item
- pair and ear
- Material
- jade stone
- Overall
- length 2.25 in, width 1.5 in
Who
- Culture
- Olmec
Where
- Holding Institution
- Brooklyn Museum
When
- Creation Date
- between 801 BCE and 501 BCE
Other
- Location
- Luce Visible Storage and Study Center, 5th Floor
- Classification
- Ornament