-Pre Columbian 800-1450 AD Costa Rica Chiriki Tumbaga Gold Condor Pendant

Tumbaga gold condor pendant from Costa Rica.

Very rare archeological pre-Columbian piece from the Central American region, between  Costa Rica and Panama. Created by the Chiriki culture, between the 800 and 1450 AD and crafted by the wax lost method in the shape of a condor bird with spread wings in solid tumbaga gold. Adapted with a removable piece to be wear as a pendant. This piece do not affect the integrity of the ancient piece.

Weight: 15.95 Grams, (10.22 Dwt).

Measurements: 51 mm by 50 mm by 20 mm (2.0 x 1.97 x 0.79 Inches).

Hallmarks Electronically tested for gold.

Chiriki Culture

The Veraguas culture, also known as the Chiriqui culture, was a pre-Columbian Panamanian culture. It is noted for the quality of its goldwork. The Veraguas culture cast zoomorphic pendants out of gold and tumbaga, using the lost wax method. When using tumbaga, artists would often use acid to remove copper from the surface, allowing for a shinier piece. This process is known as depletion gilding. This goldwork was practiced until the early 16th century AD. The Veraguas culture also produced painted tripod bowls and anthropomorphic figures.In addition, sculptures were made out of basalt.

Tumbaga Gold

The term tumbaga was used in pre-Columbian times from Mesoamerica to Peru and Chile as a generic term for any combination of gold and copper. Tumbaga is an alloy of gold and copper (and sometimes silver). It ranged in content from 3-97% copper with a balance of gold and several trace metals as impurities; silver could be an impurity or a deliberate alloying element up to 18%. One of the reasons that the composition varies so widely is that it was also the name of the metal bars that were hastily produced from South American raw materials during the early years of European conquest and settlement. These bars were shipped back to Spain and separated back into pure copper, gold, and silver. The Pre-Hispanic American metal smiths used tumbaga extensively. Alloying gold with 15-40% copper gives a metal that melts at 860°C (1580°F). The alloy is significantly harder than copper, but is malleable like gold and can be hammered. It is therefore ideally suited to the formation of elaborate objects made of hammered sheet metal. Its relatively low melting point was a big advantage to early metal workers. The alloy could be made to look like pure gold by treating the finished face with an acid solution to dissolve the copper and then hammering or polishing to join the gold, creating a uniform gold surface.

Collateral: This rare piece is accompanied by a presentation jewelry box.

Condition: The overall condition of this piece is excellent. Beside the little normal wear, there is no damage to the gold. This pendant has been carefully inspected to guarantee the condition and the authenticity.

INVENTORY REF: P061723ANNM/.3834