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Details / Information for Figure Pendant

Figure Pendant

900–1550

Colombia, Tairona

Medium
cast gold
Measurements
Overall: 6.2 x 6.1 x 2.5 cm (2 7/16 x 2 3/8 x 1 in.)
Credit Line
John L. Severance Fund 1998.3
Public Domain
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Location
233 Mesoamerican and Intermediate Region
Print

Description

Tairona-style pendants are among the most spectacular of all ancient American gold ornaments, in part because of the detail achieved with lost-wax casting. The traits of the figure pendant include a lower lip ornament and a headdress in which two bats hang upside down. Although called caciques (chieftains)-that is, ruler portraits-the meaning of such figures is not well understood. Bird imagery was important in the isthmian region in ancient times and remains so today. For instance, among the modern Bribri of Costa Rica, the principal creator deity (Sibo) takes the form of a buzzard or kite who wears a collar. Collars are standard features of ancient bird pendants, like the one shown here.
A gold pendant depicts a symmetrical human-like figure wearing a wide-brimmed helmet and large fan-shaped headdresses with rows of beads and concentric arcs. Two spirals rise from the center top, and the figure stands with hands on hips, flanked by four large spiral ornaments. Textured bands wrap around the neck, waist, and ankles above segmented feet.

Figure Pendant

900–1550

Colombia, Tairona

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