Sinú culture, Colombia, Finial in the Form of a Bird

Sinú culture, Colombia

Finial in the Form of a Bird, c. 7th – 11th century

cast gold

Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Robert M. Browne, 1977 (4493.1)

Among the rarer forms in ancient Latin American gold are staff heads or finials from the Caribbean lowlands in northern Colombia. Thought to fit onto staffs of rank or office, they have thimble-shaped caps topped with three-dimensional forms, usually birds, but sometimes local animals, and humans.