Message in a Bottle

Vitreous enamel cloisonné on copper and silver, fabricated silver
Necklace diameter: 16”. 13 medallions, 2.5” dia. each. Brooch (2.5” dia), cuff bracelet, hair ornament, hollow-form ring.

Suite of jewelry illustrating the work of a biological archeologist, made for an art-and-science exhibition. I was teamed with archeologist Anne Titelbaum and invited to create an art piece that interpreted her work. The images in the necklace illustrate the stages of Anne’s research: flying to Peru, setting up camp, the blessing of the site, inspection and removal of the bones, measurement and recording, and interpretation of data.

The pieces are displayed as if in a museum 500 years in the future, where visitors are invited to interpret the designs of the pieces, just as present-day archeologists interpret the objects made by artists 500 years in the past. I created my pieces for an audience in the far-future, imagining a millennia-long connection between the artists in ancient Peru, myself, and the artists yet to come.

Each piece was inspired by a different aspect of Anne’s work: the brooch features 200 tiny silver and gold bones, reflecting the rate of genetic anomalies in the population. The bracelet illustrates the carpal bones, located directly above the wearer’s own bones: a reminder of the universal connection we have across time with other people and civilizations. The hair ornament is to be worn on the head at the location of trepanation wounds found in the skulls at the site, and the gold and silver circles illustrate their high success rate with the operation. The ring features archeology field tools—calipers, magnifying glass, and spade—and has a hidden 6-toed foot on the inside, commemorating one of Anne’s most exciting discoveries.