Mask - very nice and pretty - Moche, Peru, 200 - 300 AD Copper 14 cm large and 10 cm height. Provenance: - Private colecction, R.P., Barcelona, 1950’s - 1970’s. - Private collection, F.P., Barcelona, acquired in 1990's. Condition: Very good, intact, see photos. Documents: With Export license. Funerary copper masks are archaeological artefacts of great cultural and symbolic importance. Used in various pre-Hispanic contexts, especially in Andean regions such as Peru, Bolivia and the north of Chile and Argentina, these masks were placed over the faces of the deceased, generally belonging to elites or people of high social and religious status. Copper, a metal associated with the sacred and eternity due to its shine and resistance to deterioration, was worked with advanced techniques such as hammering and embossing. These masks not only had an aesthetic function, but also symbolised the transformation of the deceased individual into a spiritual existence. Some were stylised, with idealised human features, while others had solemn or mystical expressions. In addition, masks have been found with traces of pigment, suggesting that they were painted or decorated. The use of copper reflects the metallurgical knowledge of these cultures and their worldview, in which death was not an end, but a transition. Today, these masks are key to understanding the funerary practices and spiritual beliefs of ancient Andean civilisations, and continue to amaze us with their beauty and technical complexity. Note: - According to Spanish legislation, items sent outside the European Union are subject to export taxes and will be added to the invoice, at the buyer's expense. These export fees are fixed on the final auction price and the tax rate is not applied directly on the total value of the item to be exported, but rather the different percentages by sections are applied to it: - Up to 6,000 euros: 5%. - From 6,001 to 60,000 euros: 10%. This export permit application process can take between 1-2 months maximum.