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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
128821
label
Double Bird-Headed Figure Pendant
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
128821
contentType
object
title
Double Bird-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. 1000–1500
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q60740622
genreSpecific
Metalwork
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 7.2 x 9.4 cm (2 13/16 x 3 11/16 in.)
cul
Costa Rica, Diquís region, 11th-16th century
accession
1951.442
Source extras
tec
cast and hammered gold
tombstone
Double Bird-Headed Figure Pendant, c. 1000–1500. Costa Rica, Diquís region, 11th-16th century. Cast and hammered gold; overall: 7.2 x 9.4 cm (2 13/16 x 3 11/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Thirty-fifth anniversary gift in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Humphreys, Gift of their daughter, Helen, 1951.442
collection
AA - Intermediate Region
citations
citation
Correspondence from Samuel Lothrop to William Milliken, 18 December 1951, Box 26, Folder 9, William Mathewson Milliken Records, Cleveland Museum of Art Archives.
creditline
Thirty-fifth anniversary gift in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Humphreys, Gift of their daughter, Helen
updatedAt
2026-05-29 06:39:07.276000
sourceId
128821
dept
Art of the Americas
coll
AA - Intermediate Region
med
cast and hammered gold
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
7d25599396c19aa0