Pre-Columbian, Peru (North Coast), Moche Culture, ca. 400 to 800 CE. A collection of forty-three 20 karat gold beads (the gold composition of each has slight variations due to ancient refining methods) made by bending, twisting, and folding gold sheet. Eleven are long, cylindrical beads, stamped to have bulbous projections that call to mind toad skin. The others are an assortment of smaller beads, including multi-segmented ones, cuboids, and spheroids. All have been restrung on a modern cord to make the piece wearable today! Length of strand: 18" L (45.7 cm); each cylindrical bead is approximately 1" (2.5 cm); 22.9 grams We know that the Moche wore jewelry like this in the grave; they may also have worn it in life. The use of gold suggests that this belonged to royalty. For the Moche, precious metal was not a currency used to exchange goods, but rather a material used to display power and perform religious rituals - often one and the same activity. Metals were associated with the supernatural realm, thought to be created by the gods. Provenance: private San Francisco, California, USA collection All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #136717