The name of this item is missing in its original language. If you know the name or have any comments, please use the form to get in touch with the institution that provided the data.
Double-tailed lizard

The mythical, bimorphic figure combines the attributes of various creatures (iguanas, alligators, crocodiles, cats of prey, lizards) and different perspectives (feet). It appears to adopt a tense, aggressive posture. Its skin pattern is reminiscent of the fur structure of a big cat and the cartilage of a lizard. The reptile's two-limbed tail can be understood as a duplication, transformation or movement (Helms 1993). Due to the low position of the eyelet, the figure's feet do not reach the support surface. The different number of their toes cites a peculiarity common to alligators and crocodiles. Ferrero (1975: 359, Ilus. III-132) depicts a similar object, also from the El General site. A two-tailed reptile associated with a predatory cat appears on a partially reliefed stone from the Costa Rican site of Guayabo de Turrialba (1300-700d.C.). Lizard-shaped depictions are the most common theme of polychrome pottery from the Pacific region of southern Central America. They occur mainly in the Buenos Aires Policromo (1550-1000d.C.), Altiplano Policromo (1350-800d.C.), Potosí Aplicado (1350-500d.C.), Macaracas Policromo (1100-900d.C.), Conte Policromo (900-700d.C.), Galo Policromo (800-500d.C.) and Carrillo Policromo (800-500d.C.) groups. (Künne 2005)

This content was machine-translated
Data Provider
Ethnologisches Museum
Show only fields containing data

Cataloguing data

Object type
Gold pendant
Dimensions
Gewicht: 86,05 g
Objektmaß: 7,5 x 7,3 x 2,2 cm
Material/Technique
Alloy (copper), Alloy (gold)
Current location
Ethnologisches Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Inventory number
IV Ca 32011

Provenance and sources

when
400 - 900
where
Costa Rica
San José [Provinz]
Pérez Zeledón [Kanton]
El General [Ort]
who
Alice Mertens

who
Felix Wiß - Former Possessors

Description
Donation from Felix Wiß 1909

Information about the record

Legal status metadata
This content was machine-translated
2.1.1 / 7.1