Coclé. <em>Embossed Disk</em>, ca. 700–1100. Gold, 4 x 4 in. (10.2 x 10.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Museum Expedition 1931, Museum Collection Fund, 33.448.6. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 33.448.6_PS22.jpg)

Coclé. Embossed Disk, ca. 700–1100. Gold, 4 x 4 in. (10.2 x 10.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Museum Expedition 1931, Museum Collection Fund, 33.448.6. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 33.448.6_PS22.jpg)

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What carat gold are these?

I don't believe that we have had them tested. Some of the objects such as the Lime Container are actually gold alloys, while others such as the spider are just listed as gold.

Why are there vampire teeth here? Who would wear these?

This gold plaque by a Coclé artist from Panama doesn't exactly have vampire teeth -- but the teeth are really important. They are actually thought to be jaguar fangs and refer to a human-animal transformation. This type of hybrid being has been linked to the shamanistic practices known to exist in Central American cultures.

In early Panamanian society, gold plaques such as this piece would have been worn by chiefs or other local elites. These high-status members of the community were believed to have a greater wealth of supernatural energy than other members of society. Panamanian gold ornaments are known to depict humans, animals, and hybrid beings, who like in other areas of the southern Americas, may represent a type of transformation.

Can I ask how pieces like this are acquired?

According to our records, it was acquired during an expedition in 1931. The Brooklyn Museum was involved at the excavations at Sitio Conte in 1931 with Harvard's Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. Herbert Spinden, the Museum's curator, would have participated in the excavations and the Museum would have acquired some objects as part of the arrangement.

Herbert Spinden, an archaeologist well known during his tenure here (1929-50) for his pioneering work on ancient Maya art. Spinden focused on building the pre-Columbian and ethnographic art collections from Mexico and Central and South America. During his twenty-one years at the Museum, Spinden conducted at least seven collecting expeditions to Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. He also acquired significant private collections such as a group of ancient Paracas textiles from Peru. (You can see that piece also on the 5th floor--it is amazingly detailed!)

Tell me more.

This plaque would have been worn by a chief or other elite member of society. The gold face would have been a sign of high rank. The Coclé produced gold ornaments which usually depicted humans, animals, or hybrid beings thought to represent a type of transformation. Here we can see fangs on a person indicating an association with a jaguar.

The description says this piece is from a museum expedition. What is that?

That means that the museum sponsored either an archaeological excavation or trip to a country or specific site where the object was acquired.

Does that mean pillaged?

No, it does not. In 1933, the museum co-sponsored excavations in Coclé Panama with the Harvard Peabody museum. During these excavations, this object was uncovered.

Thank you.

Embossed Disk

Arts of the Americas

Important Panamanian chiefs were buried with embossed gold plaques, symbols of power and status. Gold plaques with depictions of mythical beings were also worn by leaders to enhance their power and connect them to the supernatural world. This plaque has eight small holes, probably used to attach the ornament to clothing. The human face has the snarling, fanged mouth of a feline, suggesting his transformation into a supernatural being.

CULTURE Coclé

MEDIUM Gold

Place Made: Sitio Conte, Coclé Province, Panama

DATES ca. 700–1100

DIMENSIONS 4 x 4 in. (10.2 x 10.2 cm) (show scale)

COLLECTIONS Arts of the Americas

ACCESSION NUMBER 33.448.6

CREDIT LINE Museum Expedition 1931, Museum Collection Fund

PROVENANCE Possibly from grave 32, Sitio Conte, Panama; 1931, excavated by the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Cambridge, MA; December 1, 1933, purchased from the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology by the Brooklyn Museum.

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CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION Embossed gold plaque with human face and the snarling, fanged mouth of a feline. The plaque has eight small holes that were likely used to attach the ornament to clothing. Condition: good.

EXHIBITIONS

Solid Gold

MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view

CAPTION Coclé. Embossed Disk, ca. 700–1100. Gold, 4 x 4 in. (10.2 x 10.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Museum Expedition 1931, Museum Collection Fund, 33.448.6. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 33.448.6_PS22.jpg)

IMAGE overall, 33.448.6_PS22.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2024

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RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY

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