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South America -
Colombia
Tairona
Gold & Metals Exhibit |
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Tairona
Tairona Gold & Metal Artifacts
From Northern Colombia |
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The north
western part of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta was inhabited by groups of
goldsmiths, artisans and builders during the Nahuange and Tairona periods.
Nahuange goldwork was named after the bay of the same name, where a tomb was
excavated in 1922. Typically it features hammered nose rings and
breastplates in copper and gold alloys. People in the Nahuange period lived
from fishing and agriculture in villages near the sea, from 200 A.D.
onwards.
In the Tairona
period, between 900 A.D. and 1600 A.D., the mountains were also settled and
cities linked together by paths were built on stone foundations. The
chronicler Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo wrote in 1514 that the Indians of
Santa Marta "had gold jewelry, feathered crests and blankets with many
pictures, and on these many cornelian stones, emeralds, jaspers and others".
In addition to serving as ornaments, masks were used to transform people
into bat-men, the most emblematic motif of the Tairona period. A bird in
flight was a symbol of power that was shared with other Chibcha-speaking
groups. Gold work from the Tolima region of Columbia
is characterized by strong geometric forms combining stylized parts of
humans and animals. This figure has a triangular, bird-like tail indicating
it may represent a deity or other supernatural being. This style is
sometimes called "invasionist" because it shows stylistic influence of
people who came to the region from the Amazon, across the Andes Mountains. |
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GOLD PARROT Pendant 10.6 grams.
TAIRONA Culture circa AD 1000 |
click photos
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enlarge |
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Bird Pendant
Tairona
Colombia
10th-16th century
The Cleveland Museum of Art Collection |
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Tairona Gold Avian Bell Pendant
Dated (AD 600-1600)Art & Antiquities Dealer [1] |
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Gold Pectoral
200 d.C. - 900
d.C.
Río Palomino, Santa Marta,
Magdalena 13,8
cm
Columbian
Gold Museum |
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GOLD Toad? Pendant 10 grams.
TAIRONA Culture circa AD 1000 |
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Beaten Gold
Appliqué
200 d.C. - 900
d.C.
Minca, Santa Marta, Magdalena
12,4 x 13,9
Columbian
Gold Museum |
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Tairona Tumbaga Staff Head
Depicting a Stag/Deer Being Strangled by a Snake
Dated (AD 800-1200)Art & Antiquities Dealer [1]
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Tairona Tumbaga
Scorpion
Dated (AD 900-1200)
Art & Antiquities Dealer [1] |
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GOLD FROG BELL Pendant 6.2
grams. TAIRONA Culture circa AD 1000 from the Santa Marta region of Northern
Colombia
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GOLD FOX?
Pendant 6.1 grams. TAIRONA Culture circa AD 1000 from the Santa Marta region
of Northern Colombia |
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Shaman Demon Pendant
Tairona
Colombia
10th-16th century
The Cleveland Museum of Art Collection |
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Tairona
Anthropomorphic Gold Pectoral
Dated (AD 600-1600)
Art & Antiquities Dealer [1] |
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Tumbaga Pectoral
200 d.C. - 900
d.C. Ciénaga, Magdalena 13,6 x 11,7 cm
Columbian
Gold Museum |
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Gold Pectoral
Columbian
Gold Museum |
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Tumbaga Pendant
San Pedro de la
Sierra, Ciénaga
Magdalena 900 d.C. – 1600 d.C.
10,6 x 11.3 cm
Columbian
Gold Museum |
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Tumbaga Pendant
900 d.C. - 1600
d.C. Río Don Diego, Santa Marta, Magdalena
18 x 5,2 x 3,4
Columbian
Gold Museum |
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Figure Pendant, 10th–16th century
Colombia; Tairona
Cast gold; H. 5 1/2 in. (14 cm) |
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Tairona Pendant
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click photos
to
enlarge |
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Tumbaga Pectoral
900 d.C. - 1600
d.C. Ciénaga, Magdalena 20,5 x 18,2 cm
Columbian
Gold Museum |
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Gold Nose Ring
Minca, Santa
Marta Magdalena
900 d.C. – 1600 d.C. 7,1 x 9 cm
Columbian
Gold Museum |
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Gold Lecklace
900 d.C. - 1600
d.C. Río Palomino, Santa Marta, Magdalena
3,3 x 1,1 cm
Columbian
Gold Museum |
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Tumbaga Ear
Rings
900 d.C. - 1600
d.C. Magdalena
4,2 x 7,8 cm
Columbian
Gold Museum |
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Tairona Pendant
Columbian
Gold Museum |
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Tairona Pendant
Columbian
Gold Museum |
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(Tumbaga) WARRIOR-GOD
Pendant.13.5 grams TAIRONA Culture circa AD 1000 from the Santa Marta region
of Northern Colombia
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click photos
to
enlarge |
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GOLD Shamanistic
Pendant 14.7 grams. TAIRONA Culture circa AD 1000 |
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Cast Gold bead - Tairona, A.D.
1000–1550 - Magdalena Department, Colombia, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
region
2.3 x 0.7 cm (7/8 x 1/4 in.)
Gold and copper alloy
Geometric anthropomorphic form with incised decoration. Ring on back allows
for stringing on a necklace.
Museum of
Fine Arts, Boston |
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Tairona Anthropomorphic Figure Amulet / Tumi Knife
AD 700-1000 4 1/8 in. (10.5 cm)
Walter's Art Museum |
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Bird Pendant, 10th–16th century
Colombia; Tairona
Gold; H. 5 1/4 in. (13.4 cm)
Metropolitan Museum |
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These Tairona Pieces are held in a private
collection without provenience Origin
is unknown |
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Return to Colombia
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