Male Narrator: In the 1970s, an octopus fisherman made a thrilling discovery: he found these gold ornaments off the Gulf Coast of Mexico, near Veracruz. The accidental find was especially astonishing because very few examples of Mesoamerican goldwork have survived.
[rhythmic drums evoking period and mood]
These elegant objects illustrate the masterful heights Mesoamerican metalsmiths reached in just a short time: the few centuries between when goldworking was introduced from South and Central America and the Spanish Conquest. For example, look at the war shield pendant. It’s accompanied by feathered arrows, rendered in extraordinarily fine detail.
The two small flags at the top bear markings indicating that it almost certainly came from the cargo of a sixteenth-century Spanish shipwreck. Joanne Pillsbury:
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Joanne Pillsbury: They’ve been stamped with the letter C and a little crown. And that means that this ornament was recorded by the Spaniards. It was already designated for what is known as the royal fifth, that is, the 20 percent of the booty that was owed to the Spanish king.
Male Narrator: There’s a story for why few examples of Mesoamerican gold work have survived. When the Spanish conquered the Americas, they looted whatever gold they could find to send back to Spain. They melted it down and shipped it in the form of rough ingots, like the one in this case.
Joanne Pillsbury: These ornaments were probably saved because they were so well made, they weren’t melted down immediately. They were on their way to Spain in the sixteenth century when the ship sank. I think it’s quite certain that had these made their way to Spain, they would not have survived. They would have been melted down for the eternal military campaigns in Europe and abroad.
[rhythmic drums evoking period and mood]
This war shield is one of these incredibly poignant reminders of what we’ve lost, but it’s also a wonderful reminder of the great achievements of Ancient American artists.
[music ends]
