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Figural Pendant
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This emphatically male figure combines a human body with a composite animal head. The antlers are the stag's; the snout, perhaps a snarling feline's; and the hair is formed of braided serpents whose heads hiss from the figure's shoulders. The extended tongue may convey aggression or perhaps death because dying animals are depicted with lolling tongues. Either condition is in keeping with the creature's ferocity.
| Artist / Maker | Panama, Darién or Venado Beach region, Openwork style, 5th-8th Century |
|---|---|
| Date | 400–700 |
| Culture / Origin | Panama, Darién or Venado Beach region, Openwork style, 5th-8th Century |
| Medium | cast gold |
| Dimensions | Overall: 7.8 x 5.3 x 2.3 cm (3 1/16 x 2 1/16 x 7/8 in.) |
| Department | Art of the Americas |
| Type | Metalwork |
About the Artist
Provenance & Source
Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.
Condition
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