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Among the many works of art that excavations at the ancient Tarascan capital city of Tzintzuntzan have rendered, this exquisite earflare surely deserves special attention. The paper-thin carving of the earflare body's obsidian has been beautifully finished with the color contrast imparted by a turquoise mosaic.




Earflare with turquoise inlays
Tarascan
Late Post-Classic (1300-1521 A.D.)
Tzintzuntzan, State of Michoacán
Obsidian and turquoise mosaic
2.7 x 7.5 (diameter) cm.
National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico.

Photo © Jorge Pérez de Lara