Knife 8th-10th century
lambayeque
natural stone pattern
stone
sculpture
textured
detailed texture
bronze
sculptural image
unrealistic statue
carved into stone
sculpting
statue
This bronze knife, created by the Lambayeque culture of Peru, dates back to the 8th-10th century. The knife's T-shaped form and patina are characteristic of this ancient civilization's craftsmanship, reflecting their advanced metalworking skills. Now housed in the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the piece serves as a tangible link to the Lambayeque people's rich history and artistry.
Comments
A tumi is a knife with a flared, semicircular blade that was used in ceremonies throughout the ancient Andes. Lambayeque artists working in northwest Peru made especially dramatic and opulent examples for elite members of society. Lambayeque metalworkers were technologically advanced; they developed a unique type of bronze by alloying copper and arsenic, from which this blade was cast. Originally, this tumi was likely capped by an elaborate finial depicting an important Lambayeque deity, known as the Sicán Lord, executed in materials such as gold, silver, and turquoise
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