The crown’s base forms a chequerboard of tiny violet, turquoise, orange, and green feathers, likely from the Paradise Tanager. Rising above are the vivid plumes of the Blue-and-Yellow Macaw, forming a striking crest. Beneath the colourful display lies a base of cane reeds bound tightly together. The piece was created by the feather artisans of the Chimú culture, which flourished on Peru’s north coast in the centuries before the Inca Empire, and was likely worn by high-ranking individuals during ceremonial or festive occasions.