Accession Number

1986.008.0009

Alternate object names

Renaissance Gold Dress Ornament

Creation Date

circa 1600

Description

Square waffle cut form of nine pyramids, applied around the sides with four plain circular mounts. The reverse featuring a centered suspension ring.

Exhibition Label

Case Caption (2023):

Personal Adornments

Philip IV ruled Spain from 1621 to 1665. To express his piety and enforce it in his court, he added to previous sumptuary laws to create the “Spanish style”—dark clothing with few ornaments. However, the new laws would not have reached the colonies by the time the 1622 fleet sailed. The dress ornaments in this case are from the earlier period, in which aristocrats and conquistador families enjoyed showing off their wealth in fine attire spangled with gold and jewels.
Object Caption (2023): 

Dress ornaments
Gold (c.1600)
Gifts of Jamestown Inc., David Heimerdinger
1983.001.0001, 1986.008.0009, 1986.008.0014, 1986.008.0033, 1986.008.0106, 1986.008.0995, 1998.003.0001, 1999.006.0001