Chavín Craftsmanship and Metalworking: A Chest Ornament with Agnathic Feline Face

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Written By AQ

Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank

Chavín metalworking

A 2,000-year-old Chavín gold ornament helps us learn how ancient Andean art reflects early metallurgical skills in Peru. This video examines a gold ornament from the Chavín culture, supposedly found at Chavín de Huántar, created between 400 and 200 BCE. We examine the physical details of this 12.3-centimeter piece, which features a distinct face, and discuss its significance in the context of early Andean history.

Ornament with Agnathic Feline Face, Chavín, 400–200 BCE (Early Horizon), gold-silver-copper alloy, 4 13/16 in. x 1 in. (12.3 cm x 2.5 cm) Dumbarton Oaks, Washington, D.C. Photo: © Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank.

Video chapters

0:00 Looking at a Chavín ornament

1:09 Metaworking techniques

1:43 A zoomorphic face with an agnathic jaw

2:59 Chavín de Huántar

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