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, the image on this gold pendant is flattened and bilaterally symmetrical for maximum decorative effect. The curved front feet form the suspension loops—craftsmen thus cleverly adapted the natural forms of totemic creatures to the functional demands of this jewelry. This pendant represents a jaguar with open mouth bearing its large teeth, the end of its tail curled upwards.
Pendants in the shape of felines and other animal creatures are a common theme among the cultures of Intermediate Central America. Depicted in a variety of sizes and styles, they sometimes represent a fusion of various animal features and species. Though their exact meaning is unknown, pendants were likely worn on ceremonial occasions, and similar pendants were still being worn at the beginning of the 16th-century conquest. For many peoples of the ancient Americas, jaguars and other large felines were likely considered mythic figures. Feline pendants may have thus offered protection to the wearer, and when represented in gold, such as this example, they are even more powerful.
Drawn 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.
- Anne R. Bromberg, Dallas Museum of Art: Selected Works (Dallas, TX: Dallas Museum of Art, 1983), 45.
- Carol Robbins, Label text [1976.W.298; 1976.W.297; 1976.W.292], A. H. Meadows Galleries.
- "Eagle Pendant (1977.187.22)." In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–.http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1977.187.22/. (August 2009).
NOTES
- Veraguas, 800–1200 C.E. (noted on TMS), updated by KJones on 03/25/16, 03/30/16, and 03/31/16; no period noted.
- Current label copy notes Panama: Veraguas-Greater Chiriquí style.
- Fun Facts Source: Carol Robbins, "Inventory Description, Medium," in DMA Object File, Pendant: Jaguar Effigy (1976.W.262) (Dallas, Texas: Dallas Museum of Art, n.d.), 2).
Cultures
Chiriquí (period): AAT: 300017239
Pre-Columbian Panamanian styles: AAT: 300017241
Veraguas (period): AAT: 300017240
Geography
Chiriquí (province): TGN: 1001201
Panama (nation): TGN: 7005565
Veraguas (province): TGN: 1001593
Process/materials
gold: AAT: 300011021
goldwork: AAT: 300044045
annealing: AAT: 300053886
casting (process): 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
worn costume accessories: AAT: 300209274
jewelry: AAT: 300209286
pendants (jewelry): AAT: 300046002
shiny (shine): AAT: 300065244
figures (representations): AAT: 300189808
feline: DMA
jaguar (animals): AAT: 300310389
fangs (teeth): DMA
teeth (animal components): AAT: 300400467
tails (animal components): AAT: 300251800
geometric motifs: AAT: 300009764
dots (geometric motif): AAT: 300010145
circles (plane figures): AAT: 300055627
lines (geometric concept): AAT: 300056279
funerary objects: AAT: 300234126
ceremonial costume: AAT: 300210387
power: AAT: 300374809
prestige: AAT: 300343604
social status: AAT: 300065206
symmetry: AAT: 300056249
myth: AAT: 300201023
mythical or legendary beings: AAT: 300375725
deities: AAT: 300343850
supernatural (concepts): AAT: 300055947
protection: AAT: 300164923
hollow (form attribute): AAT: 300163023
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 existing information in TMS. 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
253365049: UMO. [Caption] Jaguar (Panthera onca). Source: Lea Maimone (own work), Wikimedia Commons, accessed: April 27, 2015, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Panthera_onca#/media/File:Panthera_onca.jpg.
WEB RESOURCES
ARCHIVAL RESOURCES
FUN FACTS
The cast-gold tail was broken in antiquity, and would have originally had a longer curved end.
TEACHING IDEAS
RULES
Apply to objects where number equals 1976.W.262
Category
rules_operator
AND
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, the image on this gold pendant is flattened and bilaterally symmetrical for maximum decorative effect. The curved front feet form the suspension loops—craftsmen thus cleverly adapted the natural forms of totemic creatures to the functional demands of this jewelry. This pendant represents a jaguar with open mouth bearing its large teeth, the end of its tail curled upwards.
Pendants in the shape of felines and other animal creatures are a common theme among the cultures of Intermediate Central America. Depicted in a variety of sizes and styles, they sometimes represent a fusion of various animal features and species. Though their exact meaning is unknown, pendants were likely worn on ceremonial occasions, and similar pendants were still being worn at the beginning of the 16th-century conquest. For many peoples of the ancient Americas, jaguars and other large felines were likely considered mythic figures. Feline pendants may have thus offered protection to the wearer, and when represented in gold, such as this example, they are even more powerful.
Drawn 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.
- Anne R. Bromberg, Dallas Museum of Art: Selected Works (Dallas, TX: Dallas Museum of Art, 1983), 45.
- Carol Robbins, Label text [1976.W.298; 1976.W.297; 1976.W.292], A. H. Meadows Galleries.
- "Eagle Pendant (1977.187.22)." In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–.http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1977.187.22/. (August 2009).
Fun Facts
The cast-gold tail was broken in antiquity, and would have originally had a longer curved end.
Archival Resources
Web Resources
Notes
- Veraguas, 800–1200 C.E. (noted on TMS), updated by KJones on 03/25/16, 03/30/16, and 03/31/16; no period noted.
- Current label copy notes Panama: Veraguas-Greater Chiriquí style.
- Fun Facts Source: Carol Robbins, "Inventory Description, Medium," in DMA Object File, Pendant: Jaguar Effigy (1976.W.262) (Dallas, Texas: Dallas Museum of Art, n.d.), 2).
Cultures
Chiriquí (period): AAT: 300017239
Pre-Columbian Panamanian styles: AAT: 300017241
Veraguas (period): AAT: 300017240
Geography
Chiriquí (province): TGN: 1001201
Panama (nation): TGN: 7005565
Veraguas (province): TGN: 1001593
Process/materials
gold: AAT: 300011021
goldwork: AAT: 300044045
annealing: AAT: 300053886
casting (process): 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
worn costume accessories: AAT: 300209274
jewelry: AAT: 300209286
pendants (jewelry): AAT: 300046002
shiny (shine): AAT: 300065244
figures (representations): AAT: 300189808
feline: DMA
jaguar (animals): AAT: 300310389
fangs (teeth): DMA
teeth (animal components): AAT: 300400467
tails (animal components): AAT: 300251800
geometric motifs: AAT: 300009764
dots (geometric motif): AAT: 300010145
circles (plane figures): AAT: 300055627
lines (geometric concept): AAT: 300056279
funerary objects: AAT: 300234126
ceremonial costume: AAT: 300210387
power: AAT: 300374809
prestige: AAT: 300343604
social status: AAT: 300065206
symmetry: AAT: 300056249
myth: AAT: 300201023
mythical or legendary beings: AAT: 300375725
deities: AAT: 300343850
supernatural (concepts): AAT: 300055947
protection: AAT: 300164923
hollow (form attribute): AAT: 300163023
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 existing information in TMS. 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
rules
Apply To
Objects
number
Equals
1976.W.262
source file
object_notes_3_a-0365.xml.nores