Lot 50a, Auction 4/20/2026: Pre-Columbian Bead Necklace, Spondylus Shells & Nacre

$325.00

In stock

Pre-Columbian, Peru, Nazca-Inca culture, ca. 100 to 1470 CE. An assembled strand of ancient beads restrung in modern times as a wearable necklace, combining elongated black stone beads with orange-red spondylus (spiny oyster) elements and iridescent nacre shell accents, gathered into a pendant-like drop with carved shell plaques and small tubular spacers. Across the Pacific-facing cultures of Mesoamerica and the Andes, prized marine shells such as spondylus circulated through long-distance exchange networks and were closely tied to status, offerings, and ritual display, valued for their rarity, color, and association with water and fertility. Size of strand: 29″ L (73.7 cm); square bead: 0.5″ L x 0.4″ W (1.3 cm x 1 cm)

Condition: Strung in modern times and wearable. Nicks and abrasions to beads as expected with age.

Provenance: ex-Robert Morris Fine Art, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA; ex-Arte Textile, San Francisco, California, USA

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all purchases.

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