Golden Tumi (900-1100 CE); belonged to Lambayeque (Sicán), is the most cherished object that immediately constituted itself in a paradigm of the metalurgy of ancient Peru, was identified as "Tumi de dellimo" or "Tumi de Lambayeque".

Tumi is a type of ceremonial knives with semicircular blades. Known on the Peruvian coast since 3rd Century BC, they often appear in Moche iconography (100-700 CE), where they are used to cut the throat of sacrificial victims. Tumi frequently used by the Sicán Cultures (750-1375 CE), considered as the culture from where the most elaborate tumis were found so far. Tumis were also recently found in situ in the tombs of high-status Moche and Sicán individuals. Sicán tumis such as this one were exquisitely crafted by skilled metallurgists mastering techniques of repoussé, soldering, and filigree. Later, Chimú (900-1465 CE) and Inca (1438-1572 CE), used Tumi in their ceremonial and sacrificial rituals.

It is made up of a single piece. Mango is rectangular or trapezoidal shape and cutting blade is semi-circular. The center part would represent the mythical god Naylamp. It sometimes had turquoise-like semi-precious stones encrusted. These sacred ornaments were used in ceremonies even in the field of medicine, in cutting and extraction of damaged parts of the skull. Handle is inlaid with turquoise and takes the shape of Sicán Lord with characteristic crescent headdress, comma-shaped eyes and pointed ears. Sicán Lord is often interpreted as ñaymlap, mythical founder of the Sicán dynasties, described in a 16th Century CE, Spanish Chronicle.

(36.2 × 15.9 × 4.1cm)

Gold Museum of Peru

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