Necklace with Beads in the Shape of Jaguar Teeth 13th-16th century Mixtec (Ñudzavui) This elegant gold necklace, created using the lost-wax technique, is composed of thirty-four gold beads in the shape of the carnassial teeth (molars) of a jaguar with an equal number of rattle bells joined to them with delicate false-filigree” loops. False filigree refers to the process where artisans, rather than applying individual strands of metal, modeled the loops in wax and then cast them, creating a delicate lace pattern. One bell—the third on the proper right—is a modern replacement. Although gold working developed relatively late in Mesoamerica (after A.D. 600), metalsmiths developed innovative approaches in different regions and produced works of great artistry and technical sophistication. Oaxaca, one of the major sources for gold, was also one of the primary centers for the production of gold objects. Created by Mixtec (also known as Ñudzavui) artisans in the region that is now Oaxaca, thi