Ear Spool 450–1000 Greater Coclé This ear spool is made of hammered metal sheet and consists overall of two separate components or “halves,” (here designated “a” and “b”). Each half includes three joined pieces: a center piece with one end cylindrical and the other end conical, a piece with one end cylindrical and the other end flaring out, and a circular and relatively flat piece with geometric motifs. The metalsmith fit the first piece into the second and may have lightly hammered the exterior and interior of the cylindrical end to help secure the join. There does not appear to be any e
Ear Spool 450–1000 Greater Coclé This ear spool is made of hammered metal sheet and consists overall of two separate components or “halves,” (here designated “a” and “b”). Each half includes three joined pieces: a center piece with one end cylindrical and the other end conical, a piece with one end cylindrical and the other end flaring out, and a circular and relatively flat piece with geometric motifs. The metalsmith fit the first piece into the second and may have lightly hammered the exterior and interior of the cylindrical end to help secure the join. There does not appear to be any evidence of soldering of the two pieces. The third piece—flat with geometric motifs—was placed over the conical center and its ends were crimped over the second piece to help secure its placement. To wear the ear spool, it is possible that the two halves were separated, the cylindrical ends were passed through the earlobe, and then the two halves were rejoined. Please see below for further discussion. Also, see another work in the Met’s collection, , b, which may constitute the other ear spool, similarly consisting of two halves, with which this one would have been paired. This supposes that ear spools of nearly identical designs, such as these two, were paired, one to be worn by a person in each ear. However, contextual information cannot confirm this point. In the case of both halves, the third piece, with geometric motifs, includes, from the outer edge to the interior, three registers of design: first, a band of chevrons, slightly in raised relief, that wrap around the circumference; then, 11 circular motifs each of which has a slight depression in the center; and finally, a band that is slightly raised, adjacent to the base of the conical projection at the center of the piece. The band of chevrons on each spool is actually comprised of two rows of parallelogram-shaped punch marks that point to each other at a 90-degree angle; these two rows
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Photo credit: © MET/BOT / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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