The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 13, 2025

Lime Dipper or Pin with Owl

1–800 CE

Isthmian Region , Calima, Yotoco period

(Colombia)
gold, cast
Overall: 22.4 x 2 x 1.6 cm (8 13/16 x 13/16 x 5/8 in.)
Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund 2015.10
Location: 233 Mesoamerican and Intermediate Region

Did You Know?

Chewing coca leaves remains popular among indigenous communities in the Andean region.

Description

An engaging miniature owl forms the finial of this dipper, which was used during coca-chewing rituals. Typically, coca leaves were chewed into a quid; then, with a dipper, lime made from powdered seashells was added to the quid to enhance the leaves' gentle stimulating effects. Contemporary natives regard coca as crucial to creating both social camaraderie and communion with supernatural forces; the same may have been true in the past.
  • According to a dated invoice, the dealer John Wise (New York) sold the dipper to Christian de Guigne III (San Francisco) on January 9, 1969.
  • {{cite web|title=Lime Dipper or Pin with Owl|url=false|author=|year=1–800 CE|access-date=13 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2015.10