id: 172597 accession number: 2015.8 share license status: CC0 url: https://clevelandart.org/art/2015.8 updated: 2022-01-04 18:03:54.261000 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 title: Beaker with Shells title in original language: series: series in original language: creation date: 900-1100 creation date earliest: 900 creation date latest: 1100 current location: 232 Andean creditline: Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund copyright: --- culture: Central Andes (Peru), Lambayeque (Sicán) people, 10th century-12th century technique: gold, hammered department: Art of the Americas collection: AA - Andes type: Metalwork find spot: catalogue raisonne: --- CREATORS --- measurements: Overall: 14.6 x 10.2 cm (5 3/4 x 4 in.) state of the work: edition of the work: support materials: inscriptions: --- CURRENT EXHIBITIONS --- LEGACY EXHIBITIONS --- PROVENANCE --- fun fact: Highly valued as a luxury material, spondylus shells served as symbols of power and prestige. digital description: wall 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. --- RELATED WORKS --- CITATIONS Cleveland Museum of Art. Museum Masters: 2016-17 Companion Guide. [Cleveland, Ohio]: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2016. page number: Mentioned and reproduced: P. 83 url: --- IMAGES web: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2015.8/2015.8_web.jpg print: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2015.8/2015.8_print.jpg full: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2015.8/2015.8_full.tif