Isthmian Region (Colombia), Sinú (Zenú), 5th century-11th century / 400–1000
Finial with Two Deer
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Finial with Two Deer as metalwork (Isthmian Region (Colombia), Sinú (Zenú), 5th century-11th century · 400–1000).
This exquisite finial was made using the lost-wax casting process.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this metalwork as gold, cast.
The museum's collection notes: Unique to Colombia's Sinú region are gold finials with sculptural images at right angles to thimble-like caps; the caps fit over the end of a staff, an emblem of rank that may have been held horizontally. This impressive finial features two deer (or a single creature with two deer heads) that hold human-like hands over their chests. Sinú animal imagery is understudied but may relate to beliefs about the cosmos. For instance, contemporary natives attribute importance to birds because they have the capacity to move among different environments (air, land, water); they may have been regarded as mediators among levels of the cosmos.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtFinial with Two DeerOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.