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Description:
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Tairona Helmeted Warrior Deity. Columbia, Santa Marta Peninsula, c.1000-1500 AD, Gold, Height 2 1/2 inches. This exceptional gold figure depicts a Tairona warrior with a bat-like face and the body of a human carrying a highly stylized mace used for warfare. It has been speculated that the bat form symbolizes a male god of death, rain and fertility. This mask was worn for festivals and served as a symbol of the Tairona chieftans' religious leaders. Harold W. Shaw Collection at the Dayton Art Institute |
