This collection item does not have a name in the language of origin. If you know the name or have comments, use this form to contact the data-providing institution.

Pendant (lip peg)

Stone (1958) shows a similar nose clip found in the Costa Rican La Unión (Línea Vieja). In addition to relatively unadorned objects, conical nose clips are also known that are richly decorated (see e.g. Jones and King 2002: 39). Hearne and Sharer (1992: pl. 48-51) illustrate four comparable objects from grave 11 of the Conte site (450-900d.C.). Social significance: Spanish chronicles report that nose rings were widespread in the Gran Coclé region (Panamá) in the 16th century. They probably had no class or gender-specific connotations (Hearne and Sharer 1992: 114). Wafer mentions that the nose jewellery was removed during meals (1934: 86). Symbolic meaning: the mythological content of most metal objects is difficult to interpret as their archaeological and ethnographic contexts have been lost. Falchetti (2000) reports that the modern Zenú from San Andrés de Sotavento (Colombia) put on nose clips for weddings. (Künne 2005)

This content was machine-translated
Data Provider
Ethnologisches Museum Show original at data provider

Cataloguing data

Object type
Pendant (lip peg)
Dimensions
Weight: 4,2 g
Height: 1,3 cm
Depth: 1,7 cm
Width: 1,5 cm
Material/Technique
Alloy (copper), Alloy (gold)
Current location
Ethnologisches Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Inventory number
IV Ca 34291

Provenance and sources

  • Production
    when
    700 - 1550
    where
    Costa Rica
    San José
    Pérez Zeledón
    El General
  • Assignment to a curated holding:
    American Archaeology

Information about the record

Legal status metadata
CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED
This content was machine-translated
Version: 2.6 / 7.5