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Source Description
Unlike the other gold ornaments in this gallery, tunjos were not worn; instead, they served as offerings that were deposited in sacred places, such as lagoons and caves. They often depict humans who hold something-here a container with a head (1947.22), a spear thrower (1947.19), and a bird-tipped (1957.25). The subject must have corresponded to a benefit being asked from the gods. Perhaps because they were not meant for display, tunjos were not finished after lost-wax casting. Flaws remain uncorrected, surfaces are unpolished, and gold that backed into the sprue (pouring channel) was left in place, creating the button-like form at the bottoms of 1947.24 and 1947.17, which were cast upside down.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
125250
label
Tunjos (Votive Offering Figurine)
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
125250
contentType
object
title
Tunjos (Votive Offering Figurine)
description
Unlike the other gold ornaments in this gallery, tunjos were not worn; instead, they served as offerings that were deposited in sacred places, such as lagoons and caves. They often depict humans who hold something-here a container with a head (1947.22), a spear thrower (1947.19), and a bird-tipped (1957.25). The subject must have corresponded to a benefit being asked from the gods. Perhaps because they were not meant for display, tunjos were not finished after lost-wax casting. Flaws remain uncorrected, surfaces are unpolished, and gold that backed into the sprue (pouring channel) was left in place, creating the button-like form at the bottoms of 1947.24 and 1947.17, which were cast upside down.
date
c. 900–1550
citation
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q79903602
genreSpecific
Metalwork
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 5.6 x 3.1 x 0.9 cm (2 3/16 x 1 1/4 x 3/8 in.)
cul
Colombia, Muisca style
accession
1947.21
Source extras
tec
cast gold
tombstone
Tunjos (Votive Offering Figurine), c. 900–1550. Colombia, Muisca style. Cast gold; overall: 5.6 x 3.1 x 0.9 cm (2 3/16 x 1 1/4 x 3/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, In memory of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Humphreys, gift of their daughter Helen, 1947.21
collection
AA - Intermediate Region
creditline
In memory of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Humphreys, gift of their daughter Helen
updatedAt
2026-05-29 06:28:08.841000
sourceId
125250
dept
Art of the Americas
coll
AA - Intermediate Region
med
cast gold
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
eb7c2ce27b581891