1976.W.243 Plaque: janus-headed crocodile deity (Cocle, Panama)

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Among the societies of Central America, gold ornaments were important symbols of power and prestige that expressed authority and status in life and in death. Made to be suspended around the neck, gold plaques and pendants were still worn by local inhabitants of the Caribbean coast of present-day Costa Rica and Panama when Europeans encountered them at the turn of the sixteenth century. This gold circular plaque would likely have originally been worn hanging over the chest as a pectoral either fastened to a neckband or garment. Often referred to as patenas, many examples of such pectorals have been found from this region, and are usually similar in size with simple decoration of raised dots around the rim and highly polished surfaces. Others feature large bosses or figural designs, as seen in this example. The image is flattened and bilaterally symmetrical for maximum decorative effect and features a bicephalic (two-headed or double-headed) crocodile deity surrounded by decorative geometric motifs. Though their exact meaning is unknown, gold objects such as these were likely worn on ceremonial occasions, and would have created a dazzling golden image.

Adapted from

Bonnie Pitman, ed., "Pendant with two frogs (1976.W.292), Pendant bell depicting a turtle (1976.W.301), Pendant depicting a batlike mask (1976.W.237)," in Dallas Museum of Art: A Guide to the Collection (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2012), 35.
Carol Robbins, "Pendant depicting a figure with batlike mask (1976.W.237)," in Dallas Museum of Art: A Guide to the Collection, ed. Suzanne Kotz (Dallas, TX: Dallas Museum of Art, 1997), 181.
"Pectoral Disk (Patena) (1977.187.28)." In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–.https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1977.187.28/. (August 2009).

NOTES

Cocle, Period V - Period VI, 700-900 C.E. (noted on TMS), updated by KJones on 03/25/16, 03/30/16, 03/31/16, and 04/05/17.

Catalogue essays

The Nora and John Wise Collection of Ancient South American Art

Artist/designers

Cultures

Coclé (Pre-Columbian Panamanian styles): AAT: 300017242

Pre-Columbian Panamanian styles: AAT: 300017241

Pre-Columbian (American): AAT: 300016619

Geography

Intermediate Central America

Coclé (province): TGN: 1001207

Gran Coclé (area): TGN: 8697951

Panama (nation): TGN: 7005565

Process/materials

Central American Gold

gold: AAT: 300011021

goldwork: AAT: 300044045

casting: AAT: 300053104

chasing (metalworking): AAT: 300054016

embossing (technique): AAT: 300053826

repoussé: AAT: 300054023

solder: AAT: 300010993

sheet metal: AAT: 300223016

metalwork: AAT: 300015336

hammering (metal finishing): AAT: 300054098

Historical periods

Individuals

Subject terms

sculpture: AAT: 300047090

costume: AAT: 300209261

worn costume accessories: AAT: 300209274

plaque (flat objects): AAT: 300010262

pectorals (jewelry): AAT: 300211902

jewelry: AAT: 300209286

ornaments: AAT: 300266794

shiny (shine): AAT: 300065244

figures (representations): AAT: 300189808

heads (representations): AAT: 300262520

bicephalic (two-headed / double-headed): DMA

animals (Animalia kingdom): AAT: 300249395

reptiles: AAT: 300265956

crocodile (animals/crocodylidae family): AAT: 300250293

claws (animal components): AAT: 300379351

fangs (teeth): DMA

decorating (process): AAT: 300056257

geometric motifs: AAT: 300009764

geometric shape: AAT: 300263819

geometric patterns: AAT: 300165213

circles (plane figures): AAT: 300055627

circular (shape): AAT: 300263827

lines (geometric concept): AAT: 300056279

bands (decorative): DMA

scrolls (spirals / motifs): AAT: 300010094

spirals (geometric figures): AAT: 300163114

crescent (motif): AAT: 300165510

raised (form attribute): AAT: 300010354

relief (sculpture techniques): AAT: 300053622

bosses (components): AAT: 300047259

polishing (finishing): AAT: 300053867

power: AAT: 300374809

prestige: AAT: 300343604

authority (concepts): DMA

social status: AAT: 300065206

symmetry: AAT: 300056249

protection: AAT: 300164923

ceremonial costume: AAT: 300210387

myth: AAT: 300201023

mythical or legendary beings: AAT: 300375725

deities: AAT: 300343850

supernatural (concepts): AAT: 300055947

duality (concepts): DMA

RELATED OBJECTS

PROVENANCE

Until 1976: Nora and John Wise, New York [1]

From 1976: Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, The Nora and John Wise Collection, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Jake L. Hamon, the Eugene McDermott Family, Mr. and Mrs. Algur H. Meadows and the Meadows Foundation, Incorporated, and Mr. and Mrs. John D. Murchison [1], [2]

[1] The main source for this provenance is letter from A.L. Woodman, Chief of Valuation Analysis Section of the Internal Revenue Service, to Harry S. Parker, Director of the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts (dated July 23, 1979, copy in Dallas Museum of Art Collections Records Object File, Confidential). Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.

[2] The name of the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, founded in 1933, was changed to the Dallas Museum of Art in 1983.

AUDIO ASSETS

VIDEO ASSETS

IMAGE ASSETS

WEB RESOURCES

ARCHIVAL RESOURCES

FUN FACTS

This circular plaque was featured in the World of Ancient Gold exhibit at the New York's World's Fair, Travel and Transportation Pavilion (April 22-October 18, 1964).

TEACHING IDEAS

RULES

Apply to objects where number equals 1976.W.243