GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Star-shaped mace heads were a common form for clubs and weapons from at least the Early Intermediate Period (200 BCE-600 CE). The first examples appear in stone, associated with Chavín and Salinar cultures. The succeeding Moche and Nasca developed copper mace heads, which they depict in painted scenes of hand-to-hand combat on ceramic vessels. The pointed metal maces would remain popular throughout Andean cultural history. This metal mace head is composed of arsenical copper (or arsenical bronze) with five long cast points. The copper alloy composition suggests that this mace head dates to at least the Middle Horizon (600-1000 CE) when such alloys appear within the central Andean regions.
Adapted from
Kimberly L. Jones, PhD, Inca: Conquests of the Andes / Los Incas y las conquistas de los Andes, Label text [1976.W.1793; 1976.W.1771; 1976.W.1772; 1976.W.1773; 1976.W.1774], 2015.
NOTES
- Middle Horizon-Late Intermediate Period, 700–1400 C.E., updated by KJones in TMS on 01/03/14, 01/05/16, and 03/31/16.
- No culture noted; updated geography, dates, and medium in TMS to reflect Inca label -- Perú: Andean coast, A.D. 700-1400, Arsenical bronze.
- Fun Facts Source: Junius B. Bird Report, 1/26/1976, p. 14, TMS, Notes / Text Entries, Attribution.
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Cultures
Geography
Peru (nation): TGN: 1000056
Process/materials
bronze: AAT: 300010957
arsenide (compounds): AAT: 300404062
casting (process): AAT: 300053104
casts (sculpture): AAT: 300047806
solder: AAT: 300010993
repoussé: AAT: 300054023
sheet metal: AAT: 300223016
annealing: AAT: 300053886
chasing (metalworking): AAT: 300054016
embossing (technique): AAT: 300053826
metalwork: AAT: 300015336
Historical periods
Middle Horizon Period: AAT: 300017300
Late Intermediate Period: AAT: 300017313
Individuals
Subject terms
mace heads (weapons): AAT: 300375720
maces (weapons): AAT: 300037214
club (weapon): AAT: 30037206
social status: AAT: 300065206
wood: AAT: 300011914
staffs (staff weapon components): AAT: 300204653
flanges (general components): AAT: 300233998
symmetry: AAT: 300056249
combat: AAT: 300379752
conical (shape): AAT: 300378897
bosses (components): AAT: 300047259
spikes: AAT: 300036427
conical spikes / bosses (components / objects parts): DMA
geometric motifs: AAT: 300009764
geometric shape: AAT: 300263819
stars (motifs): AAT: 300009811
stellate (shape): AAT: 300010329
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
Until 1976: Nora and John Wise, New York [1]
From 1976: Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, The Nora and John Wise Collection, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Jake L. Hamon, the Eugene McDermott Family, Mr. and Mrs. Algur H. Meadows and the Meadows Foundation, Incorporated, and Mr. and Mrs. John D. Murchison [1], [2]
[1] The main source for this provenance is existing information in TMS. Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[2] The name of the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, founded in 1933, was changed to the Dallas Museum of Art in 1983.
AUDIO ASSETS
VIDEO ASSETS
IMAGE ASSETS
WEB RESOURCES
ARCHIVAL RESOURCES
FUN FACTS
- In his 1976 report, Junius B. Bird, curator emeritus of South American archaeology at the American Museum of Natural History, notes: "Inca. K9a Cast copper or bronze club heads, (Last two may be earlier)."
TEACHING IDEAS
RULES
Apply to objects where number equals 1976.W.1771
Category
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General Description
Star-shaped mace heads were a common form for clubs and weapons from at least the Early Intermediate Period (200 BCE-600 CE). The first examples appear in stone, associated with Chavín and Salinar cultures. The succeeding Moche and Nasca developed copper mace heads, which they depict in painted scenes of hand-to-hand combat on ceramic vessels. The pointed metal maces would remain popular throughout Andean cultural history. This metal mace head is composed of arsenical copper (or arsenical bronze) with five long cast points. The copper alloy composition suggests that this mace head dates to at least the Middle Horizon (600-1000 CE) when such alloys appear within the central Andean regions.
Adapted from
Kimberly L. Jones, PhD, Inca: Conquests of the Andes / Los Incas y las conquistas de los Andes, Label text [1976.W.1793; 1976.W.1771; 1976.W.1772; 1976.W.1773; 1976.W.1774], 2015.
Fun Facts
- In his 1976 report, Junius B. Bird, curator emeritus of South American archaeology at the American Museum of Natural History, notes: "Inca. K9a Cast copper or bronze club heads, (Last two may be earlier)."
Archival Resources
Web Resources
Notes
- Middle Horizon-Late Intermediate Period, 700–1400 C.E., updated by KJones in TMS on 01/03/14, 01/05/16, and 03/31/16.
- No culture noted; updated geography, dates, and medium in TMS to reflect Inca label -- Perú: Andean coast, A.D. 700-1400, Arsenical bronze.
- Fun Facts Source: Junius B. Bird Report, 1/26/1976, p. 14, TMS, Notes / Text Entries, Attribution.
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Cultures
Geography
Peru (nation): TGN: 1000056
Process/materials
bronze: AAT: 300010957
arsenide (compounds): AAT: 300404062
casting (process): AAT: 300053104
casts (sculpture): AAT: 300047806
solder: AAT: 300010993
repoussé: AAT: 300054023
sheet metal: AAT: 300223016
annealing: AAT: 300053886
chasing (metalworking): AAT: 300054016
embossing (technique): AAT: 300053826
metalwork: AAT: 300015336
Historical periods
Middle Horizon Period: AAT: 300017300
Late Intermediate Period: AAT: 300017313
Individuals
Subject terms
mace heads (weapons): AAT: 300375720
maces (weapons): AAT: 300037214
club (weapon): AAT: 30037206
social status: AAT: 300065206
wood: AAT: 300011914
staffs (staff weapon components): AAT: 300204653
flanges (general components): AAT: 300233998
symmetry: AAT: 300056249
combat: AAT: 300379752
conical (shape): AAT: 300378897
bosses (components): AAT: 300047259
spikes: AAT: 300036427
conical spikes / bosses (components / objects parts): DMA
geometric motifs: AAT: 300009764
geometric shape: AAT: 300263819
stars (motifs): AAT: 300009811
stellate (shape): AAT: 300010329
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
Until 1976: Nora and John Wise, New York [1]
From 1976: Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, The Nora and John Wise Collection, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Jake L. Hamon, the Eugene McDermott Family, Mr. and Mrs. Algur H. Meadows and the Meadows Foundation, Incorporated, and Mr. and Mrs. John D. Murchison [1], [2]
[1] The main source for this provenance is existing information in TMS. Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[2] The name of the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, founded in 1933, was changed to the Dallas Museum of Art in 1983.
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VIDEO ASSETS
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number
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1976.W.1771
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object_notes_3_b-0214.xml.nores