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Source Description
An engaging miniature owl forms the finial of this dipper, which was used during coca-chewing rituals. Typically, coca leaves were chewed into a quid; then, with a dipper, lime made from powdered seashells was added to the quid to enhance the leaves' gentle stimulating effects. Contemporary natives regard coca as crucial to creating both social camaraderie and communion with supernatural forces; the same may have been true in the past.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
172388
label
Lime Dipper or Pin with Owl
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
172388
contentType
object
title
Lime Dipper or Pin with Owl
description
An engaging miniature owl forms the finial of this dipper, which was used during coca-chewing rituals. Typically, coca leaves were chewed into a quid; then, with a dipper, lime made from powdered seashells was added to the quid to enhance the leaves' gentle stimulating effects. Contemporary natives regard coca as crucial to creating both social camaraderie and communion with supernatural forces; the same may have been true in the past.
date
1–800 CE
citation
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q60758397
genreSpecific
Metalwork
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 22.4 x 2 x 1.6 cm (8 13/16 x 13/16 x 5/8 in.)
cul
Isthmian Region (Colombia), Calima, Yotoco period
accession
2015.1
Source extras
tec
gold, cast
tombstone
Lime Dipper or Pin with Owl, 1–800 CE. Isthmian Region (Colombia), Calima, Yotoco period. Gold, cast; overall: 22.4 x 2 x 1.6 cm (8 13/16 x 13/16 x 5/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund, 2015.10
collection
AA - Intermediate Region
didYouKnow
Chewing coca leaves remains popular among indigenous communities in the Andean region.
creditline
Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund
updatedAt
2026-05-29 08:50:09.143000
sourceId
172388
dept
Art of the Americas
coll
AA - Intermediate Region
med
gold, cast
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
9558d4c1d3ac4774