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Pendant with Fishing Birds

Chimú

Not on view

Imported from tropical waters off the coast of northern Peru and Ecuador, Spondylus was highly valued in the central Andes. In the pendant, the spiky projections of the reddish-orange S. princeps were removed, and tiny pieces of S. princeps and purple S. calcifer were precisely cut to create the scene of a pair of seabirds shown in profile, grasping fish. Turquoise tesserae, perhaps from northern Chile, form the birds’ eyes. Such a pendant may have served as an elegant testament to the wearer’s control over distant and precious resources.



Importada de aguas tropicales alejadas del extremo de la costa Norte de Perú y Ecuador, la concha Spondylus era muy preciada en los Andes centrales. Aquí, los salientes puntiagudos de las S. prínceps rojizas y naranjas fueron quitados. Pequeños pedazos de S. prínceps y de S. calcifer morado fueron minuciosamente cortados para crear la escena de un par de aves marinas presentadas de perfil agarrando peces. Los ojos de las aves están hechos de teselas turquesas, probablemente originarias del norte de Chile. Este pendiente podría haber sido utilizado para mostrar de manera elegante el control ejercido por el personaje que lo llevaba puesto sobre los recursos tanto distantes como preciados.

Pendant with Fishing Birds, Spondylus shell with turquoise inlay , Chimú

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