Reposted by gravbeast
First stanza of John Donne's Epithalamion on the marriage of Princess Elizabeth to Frederick, elector Palatine, 14 February, 1613.
gravbeast
@gravbeast.bsky.social
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Interested in things (proportions may vary). I stand for art. For philosophy. And for five pounds of wriggling eels.
![“Moche metallurgists were unrivaled in ancient Peru & this example illustrates their skills. Here they combined 2 precious metals, gold & silver, to produce an object of great aesthetic quality. The 2 shrimp, made of gold sheet, were attached to the silver crescent (w/ squared off points) by small tabs. The contrast between the silver & gold highlights the masterful working of the 2 facing shrimp. Their bodies, rendered in repoussé, were depicted in considerable detail, from their eyes—here indicated by green stones—to their tail fans, which extend free above the silver crescent. [It] is probably a freshwater shrimp, Cryphiops caementarius, which can grow to ~ 7 inches in length, & is still found in the rivers of Peru. It would have been much easier to harvest than maritime shrimp. [Its] symbolic meaning in the context of this ornament, however, is unknown. As there was no tradition of writing in S.A. prior to the arrival of Europeans in the 16th c., it’s difficult to determine with any precision why shrimp would have been selected for depiction on such a prominent ornament.
This particular object was said to have come from the burial site of Loma Negra, one of the most N. outposts of Moche culture. The Loma Negra works in metal share similar iconography with ceramics & metalwork from Moche sites farther to the S., such as Ucupe. Although the relationship between Loma Negra & Moche “heartland” remains a subject of debate, there are many shared traditions, including types of ornaments. Throughout the Moche world, high-status individuals would wear crescent, oval, or square-shaped ornaments of precious metals suspended from the nasal septum, effectively obscuring the mouth of the wearer. Such works must’ve been dazzling, catching the light as the wearer moved, & reminding all who had the privilege of seeing such works of the power of the person who wore it, & their ability to marshal rare resources, from the materials themselves to the skills of exceptional artists.”](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:l5pcfqdnvtivhxufycjnvzui/bafkreicyxome64cpfshqxswyphceedamzs5jqtwpyiwfguqmriluenjw6m)
