A rare set of Chimu Silver Roundel Medallions, Early Intermediate/Middle Horizon, ca. 500 CE

Silver, associated with the nighttime world of the moon and stars, was also linked with the world of the dead. In the Andean region, the world of the dead was identified with both the ocean and the dark depths of the humid earth. In other words, life began and ended in water. These complex symbolic associations made silver the perfect material for the manufacture of personal adornments with a readily apparent ceremonial and funerary function. Objects made from gold, silver, and copper signified power, as their color, luster, and sound were considered divine. In societies like Chimú, silver was used in the attire of the nobility. Objects such as this extraordinary necklace accompanied members of the Chimu aristocracy to their graves and served as an emblem of their status. It comprises a set of fifteen matching silver roundel medallions, depicting a crouching deer deity, wearing a large crescent headdress, each enhanced further by the fine openwork design. Deer were associated with deit