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Source Description
The archaeological Tairona civilization of mountainous northern Colombia is believed to be ancestral to the contemporary Kogi indigenous group. Ancient Tairona sites are terraced, and characterized by circular stone building foundations. The most famous form of Tairona art is gold jewelry, especially lost-wax cast figurines of chiefs, and anthropomorphic bats and birds. Tairona ceramics are less well known. This bowl has two protruding bat heads and four legs. The incurved sides of the bowl to either side of each head represents the bats' wings. The vessel's surface is decorated with raised serpents, as well as incised and impressed patterns.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
160804
label
Double-Bat Bowl
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
160804
contentType
object
title
Double-Bat Bowl
description
The archaeological Tairona civilization of mountainous northern Colombia is believed to be ancestral to the contemporary Kogi indigenous group. Ancient Tairona sites are terraced, and characterized by circular stone building foundations. The most famous form of Tairona art is gold jewelry, especially lost-wax cast figurines of chiefs, and anthropomorphic bats and birds. Tairona ceramics are less well known. This bowl has two protruding bat heads and four legs. The incurved sides of the bowl to either side of each head represents the bats' wings. The vessel's surface is decorated with raised serpents, as well as incised and impressed patterns.
date
c. 900–1550 (thermoluminescence date, 810–1310)
citation
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q60759391
genreSpecific
Ceramic
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 13.1 x 32 x 27.3 cm (5 3/16 x 12 5/8 x 10 3/4 in.)
cul
Colombia, Tairona
accession
1999.12
Source extras
tec
earthenware
tombstone
Double-Bat Bowl, c. 900–1550 (thermoluminescence date, 810–1310). Colombia, Tairona. Earthenware; overall: 13.1 x 32 x 27.3 cm (5 3/16 x 12 5/8 x 10 3/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund, 1999.12
collection
AA - Intermediate Region
didYouKnow
The Tairona civilization lived in the mountains of northern Colombia.
creditline
John L. Severance Fund
updatedAt
2026-05-29 08:21:30.445000
sourceId
160804
dept
Art of the Americas
coll
AA - Intermediate Region
med
earthenware
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
5e98425b12265310