The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 19, 2025

Animal-Headed Figure Pendant

1–800 CE

Colombia, Quimbaya or Yotoco style

cast gold
Overall: 5.5 x 3.9 x 1.9 cm (2 3/16 x 1 9/16 x 3/4 in.)
In memory of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Humphreys, gift of their daughter Helen 1947.15
Location: 233 Mesoamerican and Intermediate Region

Description

The same creature, with a human body but the head of an animal, appears in both pendants. It holds batons to its mouth, and whiskers or ears flare from the sides of the head. The headdress domes are mystifying; they have been described as mushrooms or gourds, among other things.
  • John Wise, Ltd.
    (John Wise, Ltd.)
  • Milliken, William. "Exhibition of Gold." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 34, no. 9 (November 1947): 211-212. Mentioned: p. 211-212; Reproduced: p. 234 www.jstor.org
    Milliken, William. "New Accessions in Pre-Columbian Art." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 35, no. 8 (October 1948): 190-192. Mentioned: p. 191; Illustrated: p. 196 www.jstor.org
  • Shamanism. Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino, Santiago, Chile (organizer) (December 1, 2022-June 30, 2023) https://museo.precolombino.cl/2022/12/12/chamanismo-visiones-fuera-del-tiempo-la-nueva-exposicion-del-museo-chileno-de-arte-precolombino/.
    Treasures of Peruvian Gold. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (February 23-April 3, 1966).
    Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art; February 23-April 3, 1966. "Treasures of Peruvian Gold."
    Dallas, TX:Neiman-Marcus Co.; October 19-31, 1959. "South American Fortnight." cat. no. 24.
  • {{cite web|title=Animal-Headed Figure Pendant|url=false|author=|year=1–800 CE|access-date=19 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1947.15