Bird Pendant
Unknown Artist
c. 1000–1550
Medium
cast gold
Dimensions
5.6 × 6.5 × 2 cm
Classification
Metalwork
Department
Art of the Americas
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Accession Number
1943.289
About this artwork
The kinds of birds represented in pendants of the isthmus are not clear, though the emphasis on spread wings and flight suggests birds that soar, such as eagles or hawks. In addition to their aerial agility, they are powerful birds of prey and, therefore, may have symbolized a warrior's or hunter's ferocity and skill. They were also often linked to the sun. Better understanding is difficult because the makers created no written records.