Feather Shoulder Ornament

Wooden rods are strung together to create this feather shoulder ornament, which would have been worn during a festival dance in 19th century Bolivia. Polychromatic feathers are arranged to create images of humans, animals, nature, and sometimes mythical creatures. The images are created in a way that resembles a mosaic, which is why these have been called a “feather mosaic.”

The feathers used come from various types of parrots and local birds. This piece has been mounted on an acrylic cylinder, which is mounted to a metal stand.