Pectoral depicting a hybrid deity combining feline and spider features, holding a trophy head in one hand and a ceremonial tumi in the other. The figure wears a crescent-shaped crown adorned with a small projecting mask at the center of the forehead. The elongated eyes and open mouth revealing fangs give the piece a strong expressiveness. This representation falls within the Chimú iconography of great tutelary deities, in which animal attributes are combined with symbols of power. The joint presence of the trophy head and the tumi refers to complex ritual practices related to authority, warfare, and the divine realm. The figure, both frontal and hieratic, embodies an intermediary between humans and gods, expressing the power and legitimacy of both religious and political rule.
Pectoral
hammered copper, pigments
1100-1400 CE
Chimu culture
Peru
#precolumbian #prehispanic #ancientcultures #chimu #chimor #peru #pectoral #hammered #copper #pigment
#spiritual #religion #magic #power #culture #beliefsystem
