Ring with Inlay
Late 15th–16th century
Medium
Silver with inlay
Classification
metal
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
126550
Art Historical Context
This exquisite **Ring with Inlay**, crafted by Inca artisans in the late 15th–16th century, exemplifies the unparalleled metalworking prowess of the Inca Empire in the Andes. Made of silver adorned with intricate inlays—likely of shell, stone, or other colorful materials—this piece from the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of the Americas collection was probably worn by nobility or priests, symbolizing status and spiritual power during the empire's zenith under rulers like Pachacuti and Huayna Capac. Inca metalworkers were masters of lost-wax casting and depletion gilding, but their inlay tech...
About the Artist
Inca
Inca artists, operating anonymously within the vast Inca Empire from approximately 1425 to 1532 CE, were masterful creators whose works symbolized imperial power and unity across the Andes. Thriving in the heart of Cuzco, the empire's capital, these skilled artisans—men and women alike—produced textiles, ceramics, and metalwork that served both practical and ceremonial purposes. Gifted craftspeopl...