Chimu Burial Mask

The Chimú Burial Mask (about 1100–1470 A.D.) from the Chicama Valley, Peru, is a metal mask made from a mix of gold, silver, and copper. It was placed over the face of the dead to honor them and protect them in the afterlife. The mask usually has simple, calm facial features like almond-shaped eyes. The use of shiny metals showed that the person was important and connected to powerful gods linked to the sun and moon. These masks were often found in the graves of wealthy or high-ranking people.