Ancient Bling

[museum_girl]

The Sican people were seriously into gold. It was for the elite only, but they had an awful lot of it. And it wasn't just meant to look good -- it was meant to draw attention in a major way. So many of the gold adornments they created were covered with little gold coins attached by tiny hooks of gold wire. Whenever the lord would move, the coins

Comments

[nicky78]

We started masks yesterday and the kids really want to make the rattles (so probably doing that one today too).

I think Betty is the only one who has gotten anything out of the history of Sican people and why they did the things they did. The boys just think its great that they get to make a "scary" mask.

[museum_girl]

And that's okay too! :o) The mask resembles the Sican Deity (whose features are very birdlike), and one of the reasons the Lord might have worn the mask would be to be more imposing and awe-inspiring. Also, only the most important people would get things made out of gold, so if they have masks, they must be very important. :o)

Another little thing I find really cool -- of the five people buried in the tomb, the Lord was the only one whose head had been removed after his death, and placed upright in front of his body (which was cross-legged and upside-down) wearing the mask.