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African Art & Wonders: A Collection of Cultural Treasures. In partnership with BAIAS Arte. sessione unica
lunedì 7 aprile 2025 ore 14:00 (UTC +01:00)
A fine tumbaga jewel
A fine tumbaga jewel
Colombia - Tairona culture
Lost wax copper and gold alloy cast.
The pendant probably represents a priest connected with the cult of Heisei, the mighty god of death and rain, depicted with a bat-like aspect.
The alloy used for this type of artefact, called 'tumbaga' contains up to 75% of copper in it and consequently a small quantity of gold. To give a shiny appearance similar to pure gold was used the depletion gilding method: removing the copper from the surface with the aid of acids or salt and then burnishing the surface to make it smooth and shiny the craftsman produces a superficial nearly pure gold layer.
H cm 4.5