Round Plaque
Unknown Artist
3rd century BCE–2nd century CE
Medium
Copper (hammered), gilt
Dimensions
Diameter 1-7/16 in. (3.7 cm)
Classification
Metal-Ornaments
Culture
Vicús
Department
Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Jane Costello Goldberg, from the Collection of Arnold I. Goldberg, 1986
Accession Number
1987.394.499
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Round Plaque* from Vicús culture of ancient Peru (3rd century BCE–2 century CE) is a to the mastery of pre-Columbian metalworkers on the northern coast. Crafted from hammered copper and adorned with gilding—a technique that applied a thin layer of gold to mimic the luster of solid gold—this small ornament (just 1-7/16 inches in) likely served as jewelry, a ceremonial badge, or a decorative element on textiles or garments. Its intimate scale invites close admiration, revealing the precision of Vicús artisans who transformed humble copper into objects of prestige. The Vicús peop...