Pre-Columbian Americas
Sicán culture, Lambayeque Valley, Peru
Earspool
A.D. 900–1375
Gold
H. 4 1/4 in. (10.8 cm)
Raymond and Laura Wielgus Collection

Decorated gold earspools such as this, which were worn in pairs, would have marked a man as from the top echelons of society and were among the types of objects that were buried with him at death. The cylindrical portion passed through an enlarged hole in the ear lobe. It was held in place by a thread that passed across the back of the head and was attached to a hole in each shaft, leaving the wearer's face framed by the disks.