Mapuche Earrings II

People of the Earth
 
The Mapuche people - ‘People of the Earth’- are the largest indigenous inhabitants of Chile and Argentina. Starting silversmithing as late as the latter half of the 18th century, they very soon became well-known craftsmen on the continent. Typical Mapuche jewelry incorporates geometric shapes and is composed of square, round, rectangular, trapezoidal – like this pair of earrings. These shapes signify esoteric connections with the land and the gods.