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Moche Gold Crown with Decapitator Deity

Currency:USD Category:Art Start Price:10,000.00 USD Estimated At:40,000.00 - 60,000.00 USD
Moche Gold Crown with Decapitator Deity
<B>Monumental Crown-shaped Emblem with "Decapitator" Deity</B></I><BR>Moche (early)<BR>100 B.C. - A.D. 300<BR>Gold, Weight 1200 grams<BR>Height 23 3/8 in. Width 31 5/8 in.<BR><BR>This exceptionally large crescent-shaped emblem is in the shape of crowns or helmets worn by important Moche warriors. A bottom center tab with three punched holes indicates that it was part of an assembly of several components. The lower central portion is filled by the image of the "Decapitator" (Rebecca Stone-Miller. <I>Art of the Andes from Chavín to Inca.</B></I> New York: Thames and Hudson, 1995, p.98), framed by a band replicating in low relief circular dangling elements. The fanged deity, in an aggressive frontal pose, stands in front of doubled diagonally-crossed bands. In his right hand he holds a knife with a carrying loop, and in his left, a profile human trophy head grasped by its long hair. In the center of the deity's curled headdress is a small frontal head, and he wears a necklace of owl heads.<BR>The impressive scale raises the interesting possibility that this piece was made for use in a large temple or on a shrine effigy. The decisive execution of the repoussé work which creates the image is indicative of the hand of a master artist. In addition to surface stains, a number of cracks inward from the edges have been stabilized and repaired.<BR><BR>Provenance<BR>Dr. Kurt Zalud, Lima (pre-1960's)<BR>Heintz Kaelin collection, Zurich<BR>Margarit Brenner, Zurich, 1980-1989<BR>Michael Bernstein, Tucson, Arizona<BR><BR>