Cleveland Museum of Art

Bird Pendant

Date

c. 1000–1550

Medium

cast gold

Culture

Panama, Veraguas-Chiriquí style, 10th-16th century

Department

Art of the Americas

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

The kinds of birds represented in pendants of the isthmus are not clear, though the emphasis on spread wings and flight suggests birds that soar, such as eagles or hawks. In addition to their aerial agility, they are powerful birds of prey and, therefore, may have symbolized a warrior's or hunter's ferocity and skill. They were also often linked to the sun. Better understanding is difficult because the makers created no written records.

The authoritative record is held by Cleveland Museum of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.