| Original Message: No country for old men... |
|---|
|
Sorry for the cryptic subject line, it has a two-fold meaning. One being that I have been feeling very old lately and apologize for being absent for so long. I will try to be more active on the forum and in the field that we all love. The other reference is a Moche culture pectoral pendant (see below) that I acquired a year or so ago. It is quite large, about 4 inches across and is made of silver (at least it appears so), though it is heavily encrusted. I believe that it may depict what is sometimes referred to in Moche cultures as "The Old-Man Deity", though I do not now much more about it. The time period is about 100 to 800 AD, from coastal Peru. It is difficult to be sure, but there appears to be quite a bit of detail in the sculpture. My question to the general audience is: Should I clean it? If so, what would be the safest approach. I have used lemon juice before on copper alloys, but I fear it can be too caustic. Does anyone know a safe way to clean most of the encrustation off? Warm wishes to all, Jan Skipper, Mosquitobay All rights reserved by Bead Collector Network and its users |
|
|