Samuel Merrin's Gift to Tufts Gallery's Collection

Funerary Sican mask at the Met Museum in
New York, dating back to about the 9th
to 11th century AD, newer than Samuel
Merrin's mask.

To compliment it's current permanent collection, boasting contemporary works of Andy Warhol and Joan Miro, Samuel Merrin and his wife presented the Tufts University Art Gallery with an ancient pre-Columbian piece from the northern coast of Peru.

Dating back to 750-1150AD, this ceremonial mask is the work of the Sican culture. Other prominent masks of this culture remain, such as the one on the right that can be seen in the Met Museum.

The mask that Samuel Merrin presented to Tufts is as unique in it's appearance as the combination of materials that were used to make it, including silver and copper for the base, cinnabar paint to coat certain parts, and for decoration, as well as cotton.

Sican ceremonial mask, a gift
to Tufts' Permanent Collection
courtesy of Samuel Merrin.