Pair of Earflare Frontals
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Curationist Object DescriptionEar stretching is an ancient form of body modification. Jewelry or plugs are inserted into piercings, increasing in size over time. In Mesoamerica, ear spools were worn by men and women. The Náhuatl word for the ornaments is "nacochtli." Nacochtlis are made from metal, stone, leather, bone, or wood. They were a marker of social status, military rank, or divinity, and were notably worn by midwives. Jade is a symbol of fertility and the floral motif on this pair of gauges reinforces the stone's fecund and life-like qualities.
Metropolitan Museum of Art Object Description
Earflare frontals
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All Works in Curationist’s archives can be reproduced and used freely. How to attribute this Work:
Unknown, Pair of Earflare Frontals, 3rd–6th century. Metropolitan Museum of Art. The flowers on this pair of ear spools reinforced the Mayan belief that jade was a living, aromatic stone. Public Domain.
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