Spoon with Bird (Cleveland Museum of Art 1958.178)
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
c. 500–200 BCE
There seems to be a link between Chavín religion and appearance of the Andes’ first large precious-metal objects, made using revolutionary new metallurgical processes.
Chavín may have developed these technical innovations to express the inexpressible, the "wholly other" nature of its religion. In many areas, elite men and women wore the ornaments as emblems of their ties to this religion, and eventually were buried with them. These 16 objects, along with three others not in the museum’s collection, are said to have come as a group from Chavín itself. Cleveland Museum of Art object 1958.178: Spoon with Bird, c.
500–200 BCE. Peru, North Highlands, Chavín de Huantar(?), Chavín style. Hammered and cut gold; overall: 2.6 cm (1 in.). Details are those of this museum object; how far it represents a wider type has not been independently verified.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 2
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Materials
- hammered and cut gold
- Dimensions
- Overall: 2.6 cm (1 in.)
- Measurements
- Overall: 2.6 cm (1 in.)
- Material and technique
- hammered and cut gold
Identification
- Date recorded
- c. 500–200 BCE
- Culture period
- Peru, North Highlands, Chavín de Huantar(?), Chavín style
- Holding institution
- Cleveland Museum of Art
- Museum object number
- 1958.178
- Published references
- The Brummer Gallery Records. Cloisters (Museum), n.d. N3502
- Museum classification
- Metalwork
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: this record describes a single museum object; confirm maker, marks and date against silver and metalwork references.