Lot 84J
Pre-Columbian, Colombia, Tairona culture, ca. 800 to 1200 CE. A truly beautiful gold pendant, part of a group of hollow gold and tumbaga figures known as the caciques, chieftains, which are some of the most detailed gold castings known from the pre-Columbian world. The figure has a vaguely animalistic face (maybe bat-like?), with a wide, half-circle headdress; heavy necklace, belt, and armbands, and paw-like hands and feet; he also has a tiny phallus. It is not clear if these caciques figures are meant to be real individuals or supernatural ancestors; many of them, like this one, have transformative animal elements. The pre-Columbian Tairona, a group of chiefdoms in a mountainous part of Colombia, are renowned for their distinctive gold pieces - see, for example, the catalogue from the British Museum exhibit of Beyond El Dorado: power and gold in ancient Colombia. Although gold was not a currency in pre-Columbian South America, it had great symbolic power, used by elites in life and in death to demonstrate their place in society. See a very similar example in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Comes with custom stand. Size: 2" W x 2" H (5.1 cm x 5.1 cm)
Provenance: Ex - Private LA County collection
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#116468
- Condition: Excellent
Accepted Forms of Payment:
Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Shipping
Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense
Artemis Fine Arts
You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 24.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.
View full terms and conditions
| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $19,999 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $49,999 | $2,000 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $25,000 |