peru, north coast or highlands, chavín style
During the first millennium bc, the Chavín art style achieved its fullest
Crown with deity figures
highlands. The first sophisticated Andean goldwork was produced during
c. 400–300 bc
the florescence of Chavín culture and bears its symbols, the most influ‑
Gold
ential of which was the principal deity, the Staff God. This impressive
10N × 21N in. circumference (26 × 54 cm)
work in sheet gold repeats three portrayals of this Chavín deity. Powerful
The Eugene and Margaret McDermott Art Fund, Inc., 2005.35.McD
development at the site of Chavín de Huántar in the Peruvian northern
predators—jaguar, harpy eagle, cayman, and serpent—define his image: the snarling mouth has feline fangs; serpent heads emerge from the head and waist; talons mark fingers and toes. The figure’s frontal stance, the bilateral symmetry of the composition, and the combination of human and animal features are characteristic of the Chavín style. The sculptural clarity of the forms and the dramatic use of cut‑out negative space distinguish the crown among the known examples of goldwork in the Chavín style.
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ancient and native american
3121-02 DMA handbook Ancient [RCP 10-7].indd 22
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