Spiro Hand and Eye gorget, c. 1200-1350 CE

Spiro Mississippian Hand and Eye gorget, c. 1200-1350 CE, now in the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art. From [artsmia.org](artsmia.org) (the description refers to two gorgets in Mia's collection): "...The Hand and Eye motif signifies the constellation that marks the entrance to the Path of Souls in the sky, the Milky Way. Each (gorget) has significant supernatural power, power that was extended to the individual wearing their symbol. Whether they indicated rank, membership in a special society, warrior status or something else is unknown, but the context in which they have been found, the expensive material and the high quality of the carvings confirm their role as prestige objects." [More info here](https://collections.artsmia.org/art/8673/gorget-spiro-mississippian)