Filagree Pendant in the Form of a Frog or Toad
Coclé
500–1000
Medium
Cast gold
Dimensions
H.: 18.3 cm (7 3/16 in.)
Classification
jewelry
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
32545
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Throughout the ancient Americas, the animal world was closely linked to social hierarchies and obligations. In this worldview, frogs were seen as callers of water in connection with the onset of the rainy season, suggesting a ruler’s ultimate responsibility to the community to virtually ensure the continuity of the agricultural cycle.