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Larco Museum - Gold and Jewelry, Lima, Peru

The clothing and adornments used by the rulers of ancient Peru were symbols which denoted who they were during life and who they would become after death.

In all ancient societies, the elite employed ways of defining themselves. In ancient Peru leaders would dress and adorn themselves with articles exclusive to their social rank. They would preside over the principal ceremonies wearing garments and ornaments which not only denoted the function they performed, but which also displayed the religious codes of their society and the emblems of power and privileged status. Their social position and identity were defined by their dress, crowns and many items of jewelry.

Gold and jewelry room

The real value of gold
In ancient Peru, the real value of gold lay in its status as a symbol of royal identity and supernatural power.

  • Much has been said about the great quantity of gold which the Spanish conquistadores took from Peru during the conquest. However, we have already seen that the majority of the metal objects produced were made from alloys which in many cases contained minimal amounts of gold. We have also seen how high technology enabled ancient Peruvians to create large objects from very thin sheets, using very small amounts of metal. These large objects contained very little precious metal. Andean smiths sought technological solutions which would lend the objects they produced the appearance of gold although they were mostly made from copper.
  • Given the characteristics of pre-Columbian metalwork, the question we find ourselves asking is: What did the conquistadores plunder? Or better yet: What was it that was lost to the societies they conquered? We now know that the conquistadores through the melting down of ceremonial objects, or from the clothing of the elite, was minimal. It was through mining operations that most of the great quantity of precious metals, mostly silver, which was subsequently made into coins, originated.
  • Nevertheless, the enormous sense of loss generated by such plundering far outweighs the small quantity of precious metals actually obtained from the melting down of ceremonial objects. Clearly these conquered societies lost much more than their conquerors gained. What was that loss? The elimination of religious emblems and prestige items represented a huge loss in terms of power and identity for the people of the Andes.
  • What is the value of this objects today? These beautiful artifacts are the material evidence of the way in which the societies of ancient Peru understood the world arround them and they form an integral part of our collective cultural legacy.

Vicús funerary attire, crowns and headdresses
Metal. Peruvian Northern Coast. Formative Epoch (1250 BCE – 1 CE).

  • In ancient times, the religious and political leaders of pre-Columbian societies began to decorate their bodies, particularly the head and neck, with a number of adornments, such as nose ornaments, crowns and ear ornaments. In this way they displayed their status, their privileged position and their sacred origin. But these adornments did not function as “costumes”; they enabled the wearer to adopt a different body and personality. With these items, members of the ruling elite would transform themselves spiritually and physically, adopting the traits of those animals which they considered sacred by virtue of their powers.
  • In the funerary attire of this period the representation of birds is a constant theme, together with elements formed by feathers and plumes, perhaps indicating that these rulers or priests were “transformed” into birdmen in order to acquire a sacred status.
  • Some of these adornments were specially made as funerary attire, such as this breastplate, which weighs almost 2 kilograms.
  • See more at 11.139. Vicús Funerary Attire, Crowns and Headdresses - Museo Larco.

Vicús funerary attire, crowns and headdresses
Metal. Peruvian Northern Coast. Formative Epoch (1250 BCE – 1 CE).

  • The political and religious leaders of the societies of ancient Peru consolidated their power during the Formative Epoch. The members of the elite dressed themselves with crowns, breastplates, ear ornaments and nose ornaments made from gold and copper and when they died these objects, which were part of their identity, went with them into the next world.
  • In Vicús culture funerary contexts some crowns have been found which were deliberately bent in a practice we might describe as the “sacrifice” of the piece. As important symbols of the identity of the individual who was buried with them, these objects also “died” during the burial. The crown not only accompanied the deceased as part of their funerary attire; it also accompanied them through the transformation required for their entrance into the world of the dead.
  • Gilded copper crowns and breastplate.
  • See more at 11.140. Vicús Funerary Attire, Crowns and Headdresses - Museo Larco.

Mochica Gold Ear Ornaments
Metal. Peruvian Northern Coast. Florescent Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE).

  • Throughout history and in many cultures, the human body has not only been decorated, but actually transformed through tattooing, piercings and deformations. Some parts of the body, such as the lips, ears and skull, have been modified through processes which last a lifetime.
  • Ear ornaments were one of the most significant adornments used to distinguish those individuals in power in Andean societies. When the Spanish arrived they called the Incas nobles “orejones” (literally, “big ears”), in reference to the size of their ears, which were enlarged by the adornments they wore. Some of these ear ornaments were so heavy and large that they were held in place by bands wrapped around the wearer’s head.
  • In Mochica ear ornaments we can see magnificent work in the form of mosaics inlaid with gemstones such as chrysocolla, sodalite and turquoise, as well as mother-of-pearl and Spondylus shells. The diverse nature of the materials used in these exclusively prestigious ornaments indicates participation by the ruling elites in networks of long distance trade.
  • The designs on the discs of the ear ornaments feature rhombuses, spirals, iguanas and bird warriors. Some of the rods of these ear ornaments were also finely decorated with depictions of ceremonial combat.
  • See more at 11.137. Mochica Gold Ear Ornaments - Museo Larco.

Earmuffs with representation of a warrior bird
Metal. Peruvian Northern Coast. Florescent Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE).

  • Circular earmuffs of gold, turquoise or malachite or chrysocolla, sodalite, spondylus shell (mullu) and mother-of-pearl representing anthropomorphic warrior with headdress of plumes and feline head appendage, circular earmuffs, bird's beak, loincloth and wrist guards, holding sling and panoply (truncheon and circular shield).
  • See more at ML100849 - Museo Larco.

Lambayeque gilded silver clothing
Metal. Peruvian Northern Coast. Fusion Epoch (800 CE – 1300 CE).

  • Silver-copper alloy crown with front plume, representing a stylized character with a plumed headdress, circular earflaps and pectoral, holding batons. Representation of birds and waves.
  • Circular gilt silver pectoral.
  • Set of forty-one circular gold silver metal plates with geometric dot designs. (Hypothetical reconstruction of the use of these plates on a shirt or unku).
  • See more at 11.141. Lambayeque Gilded Silver Clothing - Museo Larco.

Breastplates
Shell, stone, metal. Peruvian Northern Coast. 1250 BCE – 800 CE.

  • The personal adornments of the elite were manufactured from materials which were not readily accessible to the general populace. These pieces tell us that the elite enjoyed exclusive access to prestige items. Such items included seashells from tropical seas, such as Strombus and Spondylus, and gemstones such as turquoise and chrysocolla.
  • See more at 12.143. Breastplates - Museo Larco.

Chimú silver crowns and adornments
Metal. Peruvian Northern Coast. Imperial Epoch (1300 CE – 1532 CE).

  • In today’s world, for economic reasons, we consider gold a precious metal. However, in ancient Peru gold and silver were accorded equal importance, while weavings and seashells such as Spondylus enjoyed equal prestige.
  • The attire of the leaders of ancient Peru was composed of a number of metal decorative elements made from gold, silver, copper and alloys. In nature, silver is not easily found in its pure metallic state, and great skill and technical knowledge are required for its processing. Silver was first worked a thousand years before Christ, but it was during the height of the Chimú Empire, from the 12th to the 15th century, that such exploitation reached its greatest level of technological sophistication.
  • In societies like Chimú, silver was used in the attire of the nobility. Crowns, diadems, breastplates, ear ornaments, nose ornaments, necklaces and bracelets formed the offerings placed in the tombs of the elite. The iconography on these objects was associated with the ancestor or deceased ruler, who would be surrounded by other figures with the forms or features of felines and birds.
  • See more at 12.144. Chimú Silver Crowns and Adornments - Museo Larco.

Necklaces
Stone, shell. Peruvian Coast. 1250 BCE – 800 CE.

  • Necklaces made from gemstones and seashells adorned the leaders of the societies of ancient Peru and formed part of their funerary offerings. The stones used included black porphyry, blue sodalite, translucent quartz and blue chrysocolla, from different regions of Peru. They also used Spondylus shells from the warm waters of Ecuador.
  • The use of these objects made from exotic materials differentiated the leaders from the rest of the population. To this end, the leaders controlled the trade networks, thereby ensuring their exclusive access to these materials.
  • Black porphyry Cupisnique necklace with a pendant decorated with a carved face seen in profile; Mochica necklace with quartz and rock crystal beads; Mochica necklace with chrysocolla beads; Nasca necklace made from three Spondylus shells.
  • See more at 12.145. Necklaces - Museo Larco.

Mochica deer hunt
Ceramic, metal, wood, bone. Peruvian Northern Coast. Florescent Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE).

  • One of the most frequently represented rituals in Mochica pottery is the “deer hunt”. The hunters are members of the Mochica nobility, who are seen wearing fine clothing, magnificent headdresses with metal adornments, large ear ornaments and breastplates. They are carrying weapons such as clubs, lances, darts and spear throwers. The way in which these individuals are dressed indicates that this hunt was ceremonial in nature.
  • The attire of the noble hunters is very similar to the clothing worn by the warriors who faced each other in ritual combat. In the same way that these combats were not related to the conquest of territory, but rather to the capturing of opponents for sacrifice, the aim of these hunts was to capture a deer for ritual sacrifice rather than food.
  • Wooden spear thrower; gold plated spear thrower; spear thrower tips carved from wood and bone; copper darts; Mochica ceramic depicting the deer hunt.
  • See more at 12.147. Mochica Deer Hunt - Museo Larco.

Mochica gold miniatures
Metal. Peruvian Northern Coast. Florescent Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE).

  • The adornments and flaps on the clothing of high-ranking individuals were decorated with people, animals and fruit with important symbolic connotations.
    1. Ulluchu, a fruit associated with sacrifices and fertility.
    2. Peanuts are one of the Andean region’s most ancient crops, and they have long been associated with fertility.
    3. The crab appears in Mochica mythology as a being which facilitates contact between the sea and the rocky coastline, and which interacts with the gods who journey between different worlds.
    4. The toad is associated with the watery world of lakes and the lomas, the low-lying hills of the Peruvian coast where vegetation thrives in the humid coastal fog while the valleys experience their dry season.
    5. A mutilated individual with no feet who appears guarding the tombs of ancestors in funerary scenes depicted in Mochica iconography.
    6. Bird warriors carrying clubs. In Mochica mythology these individuals accompanied the principal deities during ceremonies and sacrifices.
    7. Bead from a necklace depicting a fox, which according to Andean beliefs was said, by virtue of its two-colored tail, to act as an intermediary between the wet and dry worlds.
    8. Gold sculpture of a jaguar, a sacred animal in ancient Peru.
    9. A man inside the body of a feline in an illustration of the transformation from human to jaguar.
    10. A man-drum with drooping ears and symbols representing the Andean cross, or “chacana”.
  • See more at 12.148. Mochica Gold Miniatures - Museo Larco.

Mochica bird runners
Ceramic, metal. Peruvian Northern Coast. Florescent Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE).

  • One of the most frequently recurring themes in Mochica art is the race between human beings or anthropomorphic beings with the features of animals, carrying bags with lima beans and sticks in their hands. In this race the runners participated wearing their finest clothing and elaborate headdresses, one of the most characteristic of which was the circular frontal headdress.
  • Copper and copper, gold and silver alloy headdresses; gold birds’ beaks; breastplate with Spondylus shell beads; sculptural ceramic representing a bird runner.
  • See more at 12.149. Mochica Bird Runners - Museo Larco.

Gold Mochica head adornment
Metal. Northern coast of Peru. Florescent Epoch (1 CE – 800 CE).

  • Leaders were crowned with decoration symbolizing their ability to act as intermediaries between different worlds, as in the case of this adornment, which depicts a powerful mythological being with feline, fox, bird, and serpent features.
    • This forehead adornment is decorated with a human face crowned with a tumi (symbol of the sun), flanked by two hybrid creatures with feline fangs, fox’s ears, bird of prey claws and the body of a serpent.
    • This type of forehead adornment was used to crown individuals who exercised supreme political and religious power; individuals who were able to act as intermediaries between the earthly world and the world of the gods, as well as the world of the dead.
    • Archaeological work has shown that these adornments are commonly found among the grave goods of important leaders on Peru’s northern coast.
  • See more at 12.150. Gold Mochica Head Adornment - Museo Larco.

Chimú gold headdress and ear ornaments
Ceramic, metal. Peruvian Northern Coast. Imperial Epoch (1300 CE – 1532 CE).

  • This set of gold Chimú adornments includes a headdress with lateral elements which resemble the crests or wings of birds. The main design of the headdress is composed of a feline face with a bird’s beak. Serpents hang from the ear ornaments.
  • Here we see the trinity formed by a feline, bird and serpent, the three sacred animals of ancient Peru. This piece displays the supreme power enjoyed by the great lords of the past.
  • Gold Chimú headdress and ear ornaments; Mochica ceramic depicting an individual wearing a headdress with lateral plumes.
  • See more at 12.151. Chimú Gold Headdress and Ear Ornaments - Museo Larco.

Chimú funerary attire
Metal. Northern coast of Peru. Imperial Epoch (1300 CE – 1532 CE).

  • This gold attire once belonged to a major leader of the mud brick city known as Chan Chan, the capital of the Chimú empire. The feathers on the crown, breastplate and epaulettes express the relationship between birds and the sun, in the celestial world.
    • On the crown, as well as the edges of the breastplate and epaulettes, we find feather-like decoration, evoking birds and the symbolic relationship of the wearer with the sun (the celestial world).
    • The ear adornments are decorated with the face of the great Chimú lord, who is depicted on the epaulettes standing and holding severed heads in each hand. On the feathers decorating the crown and breastplate, we see a row of figures with feline faces and half moon headdresses, indicating their role as intermediaries between the earthly world and the world of the gods.
    • The entire costume shows signs of wear, indicating that it was used more than once in ceremonies before being placed in the tomb.
    • The destruction of these emblems of prestige and religious belief at the hands of Spanish conquistadores represented a loss of power and identity for the people of the Andes.
    • This is the only known complete gold Chimú costume in the world’s collections and museums; many similar items would have been melted down during the Spanish conquest.
  • See more at 12.156. Chimú Funerary Attire - Museo Larco.

See also

Sources

Location

Location: Av. Simón Bolivar 1515 Ingreso por, frente al, Parque Larco, Navarra 169, Pueblo Libre 15084, Peru