Mixtec Gold Labret of an Avian

The Mixtec Gold Labret of an Avian is a pre-Columbian ceremonial lip ornament crafted by Mixtec artisans of ancient Mesoamerica, likely dating to approximately 900, 1521 CE. Such labrets were worn by elite warriors and nobles as symbols of status, divine connection, and ritual power, often depicting deities or sacred animals such as eagles or other birds. These exquisite gold works demonstrate the extraordinary metallurgical and lost-wax casting mastery of Mixtec goldsmiths, whose craft was celebrated even by the Aztecs who sought Mixtec artisans for their courts.