Minneapolis Institute of Art

Pair of Ear Ornaments

Thailand

Date

c. early 1st century

Medium

Shell

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Before the adoption of jade, metal, and beads for fine jewelry, in much of Southeast Asia polished shell was the material of choice for personal ornamentation. Excavations reveal that shell ornaments were not funerary offerings; instead, they were adornments worn during people's lifetimes. The use of shell also provides evidence of an active maritime trade, as inland shells would have been too small and thin to fashion into jewelry. Here, we see how the highly valued material was cut to enhance its naturally spiraling pattern. Thailand

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