Pre-Columbian, Colombia, Sinu Valley (Tairona or Quimbaya peoples), ca. 1000 CE. This is a finial showing two bird heads - probably toucans - made of tumbaga, an alloy of gold and copper. Although the birds have two heads, their bodies flow together into one wide tail; their two legs stand atop a hollow conical piece for attaching the finial to a staff. The heads each have three disc-like crests rising from them, and small pointed eyes; the beaks are finely detailed with three-dimensional strips of tumbaga providing texture. An item like this one would have been used in rituals, some of them relating to the consumption of powerful hallucinogenics to induce a religious transformation into animals or magical beasts. Spiritual leaders in this society wanted to become some of the powerful animals that surrounded them, including birds. An object like this one aided in the months or years long process to complete that transformation. To learn more about objects like this one, see the British Museum catalogue/exhibit Beyond El Dorado: power and gold in ancient Colombia. Size: 2.9" L x 1" W x 1.85" H (7.4 cm x 2.5 cm x 4.7 cm)

Provenance: Ex-private W. S. Collection, Los Angeles, CA

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.

#114280

Surface as shown.