Page 633 - Art In The Age Of Exploration (Great Section on Chinese Art Ming Dynasty)

534~53<5 **•

FALSE-FILIGREE EARRINGS

Sinu
cast gold
5
7
534: pair, each 4.3 x 7.3 (i /s x 2 /s)
5
2
535: 6.6 X 6.3 (2 /8 X 2 /2J
3
3
3
536: pair, y x y (2 A x 2 A) and 7.2 x 7 (2% x 2 A)
Museo del Oro, Banco de la Republica, Bogota
Earrings decorated in false filigree were produced
in the Sinu region for many centuries. The tech-
nique shows the influence of textile designs,
which were of great importance in this area in
pre-Hispanic times. In early periods the earrings
were produced with thick cast threads; this was
gradually replaced by a finer filigree design. The
decoration includes geometric designs and stylized
birds. In later periods round earrings were
common, frequently with decoration that com-
bines human beings and animals. A.M.F.

632 CIRCA 1492