Exhibiting Historical Art: Out of the Vault: Stories of People and ThingsMain MenuWorld MapClick pins to learn more about the object that originated thereTimelinePre-Columbian Gold Headband800 A.D. - 1500 A.D.Gold Eagle PendantsSepik River Headrest20th centuryStatue of Saint Barbara17th century France, polychromed wood, artist unknownCabinet door from the Imperial Palace of Beijing with Imperial DragonChen Youzhang, 1755Bronze LampHead of John the BaptistLauren Linquest, '19Ida Rubenstein, 1909 Sculpture by Jo DavidsonCassone ChestWater-Carrier Vase with Bamboo Pattern and BambooLenore Vanderkooi, 1996Lotus Flowers in a Wood VaseRevolutions Per Minute: The Art RecordOpening page
Gold Headband Concluding Remarks
12016-04-07T13:14:29-07:00Sophie Jorasch0392ed92f279ca817a99535df605295a9298747285321plain2016-04-07T13:14:29-07:00Sophie Jorasch0392ed92f279ca817a99535df605295a92987472At each stop along its journey this single headband interacted with ever-changing individuals and cultures, each making their mark. The survival of important historical objects, such as this one, depends on the object’s value in its given context. Particularly with gold, which can so easily be melted down into something else, the workmanship of a goldsmith thousands of years old, can at any moment be lost. Without protection, as soon as the value of the gold itself supersedes that of the piece, this will occur. What comes next in the journey of this headband is unknown but whether it is melted down and re-used or remains intact; it will outlive all of us and hopefully continue to tell its story.