Pair of Ear Ornaments

Thailand

c. early 1st century

Shell

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Two spiral-shaped shell ornaments are displayed against a dark background. The ornaments show concentric rings and a central hole. Before the adoption of jade, metal, and beads for fine jewelry, in much of Southeast Asia polished shell was the material of choice for personal ornamentation. Excavations reveal that shell ornaments were not funerary offerings; instead, they were adornments worn during people's lifetimes. The use of shell also provides evidence of an active maritime trade, as inland shells would have been too small and thin to fashion into jewelry. Here, we see how the highly valued material was cut to enhance its naturally spiraling pattern. Gallery G213 Gift of the Asian Art Council