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Collections: Arts of the Americas: Ear Effigies, One of a Pair

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Ear Effigies, One of a Pair

Culture: Olmec
Medium: Jade
Place Made: Mexico
Dates: 800-500 B.C.E.
Period: Preclassic Period or Middle Formative
Dimensions: 2 1/4 x 1 1/2 in. (5.7 x 3.8 cm)
Collections: Arts of the Americas
Museum Location: This item is on view in Luce Visible Storage and Study Center, 5th Floor
Accession Number: L77.37.2
Credit Line: Collection of Robin B. Martin
Image: Group, L77.37.1_L77.37.2_transp5631.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph

Catalogue Description: One of a pair of Olmec jade ear effigies. The naturalistic carving of these effigies beautifully conveys the cartilaginous structure and texture of real ears. The holes in the lobes may have held attachments because if they were worn as pendants, the ears would have hung upside down. The function of these isolated, body parts is unknown, although they may have been used as funerary ornaments.

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Soninka (3)
- jade
- olmec
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lesliebee (4)
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- jade
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Dan (1)
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Crystal_Callender (10)
- circles
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- precious
- jade
- olmec
- stone
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- effigies
- circular
- B.C
paul (2)
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