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Source Description
Coca-leaf chewing was a widespread ritual in ancient South America. Utensils included a container and a dipper or spoon for powdered lime (made from seashells), added to the coca to enhance its gentle, stimulating effect. Colombian cultures are especially known for transforming these utensils into works of art made of precious metal.
The image on the tallest dipper is wonderfully complex. A serpent coils at the bottom, beneath a
snarling animal with a huge, vertical tail. This animal has a tiny monkey on its back; the monkey also has a huge tail, which rests on the first animal's head like a headdress. This intricate image was created with the lost-wax casting process.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
134703
label
Lime Dipper
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
134703
contentType
object
title
Lime Dipper
description
Coca-leaf chewing was a widespread ritual in ancient South America. Utensils included a container and a dipper or spoon for powdered lime (made from seashells), added to the coca to enhance its gentle, stimulating effect. Colombian cultures are especially known for transforming these utensils into works of art made of precious metal.
The image on the tallest dipper is wonderfully complex. A serpent coils at the bottom, beneath a
snarling animal with a huge, vertical tail. This animal has a tiny monkey on its back; the monkey also has a huge tail, which rests on the first animal's head like a headdress. This intricate image was created with the lost-wax casting process.
date
c. 1–800 CE
citation
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q60740328
genreSpecific
Metalwork
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 25.6 cm (10 1/16 in.)
cul
Colombia, Calima region, Yotoco style
accession
1957.22
Source extras
tec
gold
tombstone
Lime Dipper, c. 1–800 CE. Colombia, Calima region, Yotoco style. Gold; overall: 25.6 cm (10 1/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of the Hanna Fund, 1957.22
collection
AA - Intermediate Region
creditline
Gift of the Hanna Fund
updatedAt
2026-05-29 06:52:53.451000
sourceId
134703
dept
Art of the Americas
coll
AA - Intermediate Region
med
gold
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
138bc4fb0c4a4831