Flying-Fish Pendant
Unknown Artist
10th–15th century (?)
Medium
Gold
Dimensions
H. 5/8 × W. 1 3/4 × D. 1 3/4 in. (1.6 × 4.4 × 4.4 cm)
Classification
Metal-Ornaments
Culture
Tolima (?)
Department
Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Jan Mitchell and Sons Collection, Gift of Jan Mitchell, 1991
Accession Number
1991.419.24
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite Flying-Fish Pendant, crafted from gold between the 10th and 15th centuries, showcases the remarkable skill of ancient metalworkers from the Tolima region. Measuring just over an inch and a half wide, the delicate ornament captures the graceful form of a flying fish with stylized fins and a streamlined body. Its compact size suggests it was designed to be worn, likely as a personal adornment signifying status or spiritual connection. Gold held profound importance in the ancient Americas, valued not only for its luminous beauty but also for its symbolic ties to the sun and divine...