Pendant Plaque
Unknown Artist
c. 500–700
Medium
jade
Dimensions
15.1 × 7.3 × 0.7 cm
Classification
Jade
Department
Art of the Americas
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
John L. Severance Fund
Accession Number
1948.358
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This exceptionally large and elaborate plaque depicts a human being costumed as a jaguar, with claws on hands and feet, and a jaguar-head helmet. At the Zapotec capital, Monte Albán, dignitaries in feline garb are portrayed in several relief sculptures. A pendant similar to this one was found in an architectural dedicatory offering deposit at Monte Albán.