Pectoral Disk
Unknown Artist
8th–12th century
Medium
Gold
Dimensions
H. 5 3/4 × W. 5 3/4 × D. 3/8 in. (14.6 × 14.6 × 1 cm)
Classification
Metal-Ornaments
Culture
Coclé (Macaracas)
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
1991.419.13
Art Historical Context
Behold the exquisite **Pectoral Disk a radiant gold ornament from the Coclé (Macaracas style) of ancient Panama, dating to the 8th–12th century. Measuring a neat 5¾ × 5¾ inches, this circular chest pendant exemplifies the masterful metalwork of pre-Columbian Isthmian societies. Likely worn by elites suspended from a cord, it served as a powerful emblem of status, spirituality, or authority in a world where gold symbolized the sun's divine energy. The Coclé people, flourishing in Panama's fertile lowlands, were renowned for their sophisticated goldsmithing, which bridged Mesoamerican and South...