The Biography of the Tumi de Oro in Peru

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2025: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

The Tumi de Oro, a gold ceremonial knife with an anthropomorphic figure created by the Middle Sicán culture (AD 900–1100) of northern Peru, is an emblematic artifact of prehispanic Peru and a national symbol of contemporary Peru, a symbol of pride and identity, representing peruanidad. The Tumi de Oro is a ubiquitous symbol, permeating Peru, from art to souvenirs, reflecting its cultural importance. Despite its fame in Peru, archaeologists have a limited understanding of its original use and meaning and many in the public are uncertain on its origins. This project analyzes the life history (major processes and transitions) and evolving meaning of the Tumi de Oro, using the object life history and rites of passage approach (Fogelin and Schiffer 2015), tracing its life in the Middle Sicán and contemporary eras and evaluating its impacts on cultural heritage and identity.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 90th Annual Meeting, Denver, CO (2025)   •
• SAA 2025: Individual Abstracts

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 53825