Panama, Initial style / 100–800 CE
Curly-Tailed Animal Pendant
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Curly-Tailed Animal Pendant as metalwork (Panama, Initial style · 100–800 CE).
A favored Initial-style subject is a charming animal whose curly tail -- its most impressive feature -- may derive from a monkey’s. Its other traits vary considerably, causing it to be identified as everything from a dog to a duck.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this metalwork as gold.
The museum's collection notes: A favored Initial-style subject is a charming animal whose curly tail -- its most impressive feature -- may derive from a monkey’s. Its other traits vary considerably, causing it to be identified as everything from a dog to a duck. Initial-style gold ornaments represent Panama’s oldest metalwork. Since metal technologies appeared suddenly and fully developed in Panama, it is likely that they were introduced from the outside, probably from Colombia to the south.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtCurly-Tailed Animal PendantOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.