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Source Description
Among the pendants shown here are a crustacean (1943.290), an animal-headed figure (1948.18), and two pendants featuring birds (1951.442 and 1946.223). The latter were dubbed aguilas (eagles) by Christopher Columbus, who saw natives wearing them as necklace ornaments. Modern researchers are not as sure of the species shown, but some believe that they are birds of prey because talons and beaks are prominent and often clutch something, in one example here a small, disembodied head that holds a clapper. In both examples, two tufts in the form of crocodiles in profile flank the birds’ heads.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
125947
label
Animal-Headed Figure Pendant
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
125947
contentType
object
title
Animal-Headed Figure Pendant
description
Among the pendants shown here are a crustacean (1943.290), an animal-headed figure (1948.18), and two pendants featuring birds (1951.442 and 1946.223). The latter were dubbed aguilas (eagles) by Christopher Columbus, who saw natives wearing them as necklace ornaments. Modern researchers are not as sure of the species shown, but some believe that they are birds of prey because talons and beaks are prominent and often clutch something, in one example here a small, disembodied head that holds a clapper. In both examples, two tufts in the form of crocodiles in profile flank the birds’ heads.
date
c. 1000–1550
citation
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q60779940
genreSpecific
Metalwork
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 8.7 x 9 x 3.1 cm (3 7/16 x 3 9/16 x 1 1/4 in.)
cul
Costa Rica, Diquís region, 11th-16th century
accession
1948.18
Source extras
tec
cast gold
tombstone
Animal-Headed Figure Pendant, c. 1000–1550. Costa Rica, Diquís region, 11th-16th century. Cast gold; overall: 8.7 x 9 x 3.1 cm (3 7/16 x 3 9/16 x 1 1/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, James Albert Ford Memorial Fund, 1948.18
collection
AA - Intermediate Region
formerAccessionNumbers
2437.1947
creditline
James Albert Ford Memorial Fund
updatedAt
2026-05-29 06:31:05.197000
sourceId
125947
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
be44cf037b1766bd