Pre-Columbian, Colombia, Cauca Valley, Quimbaya culture, ca. 4th to 7th century CE. An incredible tumbaga figure of a standing shaman, fully three-dimensional, with many incised details and a small loop between the shoulder blades which may have been for suspension (though this would be quite a heavy item to wear). The figure stands, flat-footed, with arms out at a ninety-degree angle from the elbows, holding twin ritual items - perhaps rattles? - with triangular tops and thick rectangular handles. The figure wears a loincloth and bands around upper arms, legs, and around the neck; the figure's ears are pierced and may once have had rings made of another precious metal. His face is naturalistic, with slits for eyes and mouth and a broad nose with flared nostrils. A multi-pointed crown sits atop the figure's head; there is a small hole in the top of the head and the figure is hollow. The gold ornaments of the Quimbaya - generally made through the lost-wax casting of tumbaga, utilizing beeswax - are incredible works of art, driving Spanish explorers to believe that El Dorado lived in the jungles of this area. Size: 2.6" W x 5.15" H (6.6 cm x 13.1 cm)

This item has been analyzed using X-Ray Florescence (XRF) by SGS Tecnos, Madrid, Spain. The tumbaga is composed of approximately: 82.84% Cu, 10.93% Au, 2.46% Ag, and 3.63 Fe.

Provenance: Ex-Private Spanish collection acquired in the 1980's

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#118049

One of the items the figure is holding has been repaired and the other has a hairline crack. Corrosion to figure as shown, especially on lower body/bottom of feet.