The Met Store Necklaces*Ancient Fretwork Collar Necklace

Our becoming openwork necklace bears a timeless meander motif, also called a stepped-fret pattern, adapted from a beautiful Peruvian nose ornament (1st century B.C.–2nd century A.D.) in The Met collection. For the peoples of this ancient region, gold was endowed with spiritual and symbolic meaning; it was associated with worldly power, status, and wealth. This rare adornment displays the technical mastery achieved by a gifted Peruvian goldsmith working more than 2,000 years ago.