Pectoral Ornament
Unknown Artist
c. 1200–1519
Medium
gold, jadeite
Dimensions
8 × 7.2 cm
Classification
Jewelry
Department
Art of the Americas
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of James C. Gruener in memory of his wife, Florence Crowell Gruener
Accession Number
1983.190
About this artwork
This extraordinary pendant consists of a conch shell section carved in jade, enclosed in a delicate gold frame with tiny dangling bells. This symbol was worn by the deity Quetzalcoatl (Feathered Serpent), a culture hero credited in one myth with creating human life by sprinkling his blood on ground bones. The pectoral may have been worn by a priest, or by a ceremonial impersonator of Quetzalcoatl.