Headdress Ornament

7th–12th century

Not on view

Head ornaments made of gold were an important category of personal adornments in Precolumbian America. They could be crowns or diadems or ornaments worn as part of a headdress made of organic materials, such as cloth or basketry. This ornament comes from the highlands of the southern department of Narino on the border with Ecuador. Metalworkers in this area used tumbaga sheet of high copper content to create striking nonfigurative forms of great visual appeal.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

References

Title: Headdress Ornament
Date: 7th–12th century
Geography: Colombia
Culture: Piartal
Medium: Gold alloy
Dimensions: H. 9 1/4 × W. 14 1/2 × D. 1/8 in. (23.5 × 36.8 × 0.3 cm)
Classification: Metal-Ornaments
Credit Line: The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979
Object Number: 1979.206.1354
Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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