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Source Description
This beaker was created by an artist of the Lambayeque culture of Peru's north coast. Shells appear in the upper register representing spondylus, the red-orange thorny oyster greatly valued by pre-Hispanic Andean societies. If such beakers were used in life—that is, not created exclusively for the lavish tombs in which they have been found in quantities—they may have figured in feasting events that were central to late pre-Hispanic political, social, and religious life.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
172597
label
Beaker with Shells
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
172597
contentType
object
title
Beaker with Shells
description
This beaker was created by an artist of the Lambayeque culture of Peru's north coast. Shells appear in the upper register representing spondylus, the red-orange thorny oyster greatly valued by pre-Hispanic Andean societies. If such beakers were used in life—that is, not created exclusively for the lavish tombs in which they have been found in quantities—they may have figured in feasting events that were central to late pre-Hispanic political, social, and religious life.
date
900–1100
citation
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q60748292
genreSpecific
Metalwork
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 14.6 x 10.2 cm (5 3/4 x 4 in.)
cul
Central Andes (Peru), Lambayeque (Sicán) people, 10th century-12th century
accession
2015.8
Source extras
tec
gold, hammered
tombstone
Beaker with Shells, 900–1100. Central Andes (Peru), Lambayeque (Sicán) people, 10th century-12th century. Gold, hammered; overall: 14.6 x 10.2 cm (5 3/4 x 4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund, 2015.8
collection
AA - Andes
didYouKnow
Highly valued as a luxury material, spondylus shells served as symbols of power and prestige.
citations
citation
Cleveland Museum of Art. <em>Museum Masters: 2016-17 Companion Guide.</em> [Cleveland, Ohio]: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2016.
page_number
Mentioned and reproduced: P. 83
citation
Bergh, Susan E. “Acquisitions 2015: Pre-Columbian and Native North American Art.” <em>Cleveland Art: Cleveland Museum of Art Members Magazine</em> 56, no. 2 (March/April 2016): 32-33.
page_number
Reproduced and Mentioned: p. 33
creditline
Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund
updatedAt
2026-05-29 08:50:28.831000
sourceId
172597
dept
Art of the Americas
coll
AA - Andes
med
gold, hammered
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
a2da0ad61cb78657