Finial in the Form of a Bird
| Culture | Moche |
|---|---|
| Title | Finial in the Form of a Bird |
| Date | 400–1000 |
| Medium | Copper and shell |
| Dimensions | Object: 4 1/2 × 1 × 4 in. (11.4 × 2.5 × 10.2 cm) Overall (includes mount): 4 15/16 × 1 3/4 × 4 in. (12.5 × 4.4 × 10.2 cm) |
| Credit Line | Raymond and Laura Wielgus Collection, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University |
| Accession Number | 94.222 |
| This artwork is currently on view. | |
A bird perched atop a cylindrical post with a wide lip at the top, by the bird's feet. The bird has a long, pointed beak and inlaid shell eye.
The delicacy and fine craftsmanship of this finial indicates that it was probably owned by a person of importance, and may even have served as an insignia of rank. The long, straight beak indicates that a hummingbird is being depicted; among the Moche, that bird is usually associated with warriors or runners, perhaps because of its quickness. The bird's rich green surface is a patina that has developed over the centuries; its original appearance would have been quite different, though the warm color of copper would have provided the same sort of contrast between metal and shell that makes the piece so appealing today.
Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.
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"Finial in the Form of a Bird | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=94.222