Large circular ear ornaments were popular personal adornments of
prominent ancient Peruvian lords and a symbol of their status
and wealth. The weight of the frontal, which could reach widths
of more than four inches, was counterbalanced by a long tubular
shaft that went through the distended hole in the earlobe.
Particularly impressive are those earflares with colorful
mosaics. On this pair, bird-headed (or masked) winged runners,
worked in turquoise, sodalite, and spondylus shell, hold bags in
their outstretched hands. Their eyes and beaks are sheathed in
gold. They may be depictions of mythological messengers.