When the European conquistadors first arrived on the shores of the New World, they were astonished by the golden ornaments worn by the native peoples. A legend soon arose of a place called El Dorado, a splendid city built all of gold. Though El Dorado always eluded the adventurers who sought its riches, there was indeed a remarkable amount of gold in the Americas. This radiant pectoral, elegant in its unadorned simplicity, may once have been worn by a Sinu noble. It speaks of a culture with a refined aesthetic sense. As we hold this jewel in our hands today, we cannot but wonder it the person who first wore it so long ago delighted in its beauty as we do.