Pre-Columbian, Sican (Lambayeque) / Chimu Culture, North Coast Peru, ca. 800 to 1000 CE. An impressive copper mask painted with cinnabar, featuring dramatic almond-shaped eyes with wire danglers protruding from the pupils. Additional danglers are attached underneath nose, eyes, and around the sides and bottom of mask. Extravagant masks like this were placed upon the mummies of elite individuals. The materials used to make these masks varied depending on the status of the deceased. The lesser were comprised of wood, ceramic, or cloth, while those belonging to the most respected and powerful were made of copper, gold, and silver. Red had protective qualities, and the cinnabar pigment may have been applied to safeguard the deceased in the afterlife. Scholars have not been able to agree on the symbolism behind the skewer like projections from the pupils of the eyes - some theorize that they may signify tears or a trance-like gaze! Size: 9" L x 11" W (22.9 cm x 27.9 cm); 14.5" H (36.8 cm) on included custom stand.For a similar example and more information, please see the metropolitan Museum of Art's website, accession number: 1974.271.35. According to Joanne Pillsbury, 2015 curator of the esteemed Andrall E. Pearson collection: "The pointed ovoid eyes on this mask and others, sometimes referred to as winged eyes, have been identified as defining features of a being known as the Sicán Deity. According to Izumi Shimada and colleagues, an individual interred with such a mask would have been thought to take on aspects of the Sicán Deity’s power, and would have been transformed into a venerated ancestor upon death." Provenance: ex-Splendors of the World, Haiku, Hawaii, USA, before 2010 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. PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping. #110353