Gold figurine of an eagle from Colombia
€8,500
available
Object number
AR3403B
| Object: |
Pre-Hispanic gold figurine of an eagle from Colombia
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| Material: |
Gold.
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| Period: |
900 AD to 1550 AD. Era before Spanish influence. |
| Description: |
Flat figurine of the Colombian Tairona culture depicting an eagle. The small figure consists of a richly decorated gold sheet with a central, plastically molded bird's head. Spread wings are depicted abstractly. There are two eyelets on the back with which the figurine could be worn as a pendant or sewn on as an applique.
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| Background: |
The pre-Columbian Tairona were a highly developed civilization in what is now Colombia. They produced the most impressive goldwork in ancient America. They mastered the lost wax casting process, which was probably also used for the plastic bird in the center of the object offered here. Sadly, the function of such bird figurines is not passed down in writing. In the mythology of the Kogi and Ica, the cultural descendants of the Tairona, birds were revered because they brought the seeds for the food plants that nourish people. The eagle, most reminiscent of this gold figure, brought the seeds for cassava, a main crop of the Tairona.
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| Dimensions: |
69mm height, 48mm width. Approx. 23g weight.
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| Condition: |
The gold sheet is in parts slightly bent and has cracks. One spot at the bottom left and one spot in the middle right were reattached in modern times, professionally reinforced on the back with modern sheet metal. Overall great condition and worthy of display in a major museum.
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| Provenance: |
Acquired by us on the German art market in 2022. Previously in the German private collection U. C. Acquired on 31 July 1986 from the US art dealer Fine Arts of Ancient Lands. A copy of the invoice is available.
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| References: |
Cf. Cleveland Museum of Art, acc. no. 1965.466. Cf. Metropolitan Museum of Art, acc. no. 1974.271.12. |
| Authenticity: |
We unconditionally guarantee the authenticity of every artefact, all items are subject to our lifetime return policy on authenticity.
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