Hammered Silver Tube
Unknown Artist
8th–mid-16th century
Medium
Silver (hammered), gilt
Dimensions
Length 5 in. (12.7 cm)
Classification
Metal-Ornaments
Culture
Peru; north coast (?)
Department
Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Cummings, 1964
Accession Number
64.228.667
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Hammered Silver Tube*, from the 8th to mid-16th century, hails from Peru's north coast, reflecting the sophisticated metalworking traditions pre-Columbian Andean cultures Measuring just 5 inches (12.7 cm) in length, this delicate ornament—crafted from hammered silver and enhanced with gilding—showcases the region's mastery of metallurgy long before European contact. Now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of Arts of Africa,, and the Americas, was generously gifted by Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Cummings in 1964. The hammering technique, where thin silver sheets are m...