Item number: G13

Year: AD 800-1500

The results after XRF testing

Material: 9ct Gold (Tumbaga)

Size: 95.6 x 45.7 x 26.6 mm

Weight: 44.9 g

Provenance:

1. Woolley & Wallis 2023

2. The Romy Rey Collection (Part 3)

This is a golden caiman statue from Panama, crafted from “Tumbaga.” The upper portion of the statue depicts the head, with the mouth gripping an unidentified object. The slightly protruding parts represent the eyes. On the back are three horizontal bars, from which circular metal discs hang. Beneath these bars, the caiman’s four legs are visible. The lower half consists of a forked tail, and the back of the caiman is covered with green copper patina.

“Tumbaga” is an alloy of gold and copper, with the ratio of the two metals varying greatly, sometimes even containing silver as an impurity. The name “Tumbaga” derives from the term used by Spanish conquistadors. Before Columbus’s arrival in Central and South America, local ancient civilizations widely used tumbaga in decorative arts and jewellery. In addition to human figures, objects made from tumbaga included golden statues of birds, fish, reptiles, and various fantastical beasts resembling semi-human creatures. There were also gold ornaments, plates, and other decorative items. Many gold ornaments featured small loops for hanging, allowing them to be worn on the nose, ears, or chest. These metal objects were typically hollow-cast with such precision that the seams of the moulds were often invisible. Ancient American craftsmen sometimes alternated layers of gold, silver, and copper in their work, with the joints so finely crafted that the objects appeared as a single piece.

Most of these gold ornaments were excavated from ancient tombs in Central America. Ceramic jars containing gold figures were often found on the left side of the deceased, facing east. This suggests that the local civilizations had a custom of burying the dead with large quantities of precious metals. Historical records indicate that during Columbus’s fourth voyage, he discovered the “Chiriquí Lagoon”, where he observed tribal chiefs and prominent figures adorned with such ornaments. He wrote in his journal that the abundance of gold and silver filled him with hope, prompting him to name the region “Castilla del Oro” (“The Land of Gold”). The coastline was also named “Costa Rica” (“Rich Coast”), a name preserved to this day as the name of the Central American country. Columbus noted that the chiefs wore large gold plates or mirrors hanging from their chests, which they neither sold nor traded. These gold plates typically ranged in diameter from three to twelve inches. Upon the death of a chief, all the gold was buried with the body. These details not only showcase the advanced craftsmanship of Central American artisans but also underscore the region’s wealth in gold and silver resources.

The “Chiriquí culture”, located in what is now Chiriquí Province in western Panama, was renowned for producing various animal sculptures made from gold or tumbaga. Though the exact techniques used to create these sculptures are now lost, it is known that Chiriquí artisans used strong acids to remove copper corrosion from metal objects, making them shine more brightly. According to historical accounts, over 4,000 tombs in the Chiriquí Province were looted, yielding gold statues, pendants, and other ornaments valued at over $100,000. This discovery excited residents within a radius of several dozen miles, leading to the complete abandonment of towns and prosperous farms. The sudden disruption caused significant supply shortages, resulting in considerable hardship for the region.

物件編號: G13

年代: 公元 800-1500 年

XRF分析結果:

材質: 9ct 金 (圖帕伽)

尺寸: 95.6 x 45.7 x 26.6 mm

重量: 44.9 g

來源:

1. 威力士拍賣行 2023

2. 羅米．雷舊藏 (Part 3)

這是來自巴拿馬，由「圖帕伽」所製作的金色凱門鱷雕像，圖片中的上半部為頭部，口中咬住不明物體，略為向外凸出的部份是眼睛。背上有三條橫槓，橫槓上懸掛著圓形的金屬薄片，同時也能看到橫槓下方有著鱷魚的四足，下半部為尾巴，尾巴是分岔的，鱷魚的背面則滿布著綠色銅鏽。

「圖帕伽」是一種以金與銅所混合的合金，這種合金的金與銅比例差異頗大，有時甚至會發現銀作為雜質。而「圖帕伽」這個名字源於西班牙征服者對他的稱呼。在哥倫布來到中南美洲以前，「圖帕伽」被當地的古文明廣泛使用於裝飾藝術、製作珠寶等用途，以「圖帕伽」所製作的物品除了人像以外，還有如鳥類、魚類、爬行動物、以及各種不可名狀的野獸及形同半人類般怪物的金色雕像，此外也有各種金飾、金盤等等。不少金飾上有著小環用於懸掛，以便將其佩戴在鼻子、耳朵或胸前。這些金屬製品通常是空心鑄造的，並且達到了極高的製作精度，以至於往往看不見鑄模的接縫。這些美洲古文明的工匠有時還會鑄造將金、銀和銅交替排列的物品，這些物品合並得非常精細，幾乎顯得像是一塊整體。

這些金飾大多是在中美洲的古墓中被挖掘出來，經常在墓穴的左側，面向東方的位置，都能發現裝有金像的陶罐。可以看出本地古文明有著將大量貴金屬伴隨亡者下葬的習俗。據典籍紀載，哥倫布在他的第四次航行中發現了奇里基湖（Chiriqui Lagoon），當時他發現所有的部落首領和重要人物身上佩戴著這些及類似的裝飾物，他在日誌中所說，這讓他對該地金銀的富饒充滿了希望，因此他將該地區命名為「金國」（Castilla del Oro）；而該地海岸也因此被稱為「Costa Bica」（即富饒海岸），這個名字至今依然保留，成為如今哥斯大黎加這個中美洲國家的名字由來。哥倫布還提到，首領們佩戴著大型金盤或金鏡，懸掛在胸前，這些物品他們既不願出售，也不願交換。這些金盤的直徑通常從三到十二英寸不等，當部落的首領去世時，他們會將所有的金屬隨同屍體一起埋葬。”這些細節不僅顯示出中美洲古文明工匠的技術水平，也證明了該地區的金屬工藝和金銀資源的富饒。

奇里基文化位於現今巴拿馬西部的奇里基省，以製造多種金製或「圖帕伽」製的動物雕像聞名，其製造工法如今已失傳，然而我們所知的是奇里基文明的工匠會以強酸清除金屬製品上的銅鏽，使其更加閃亮。據記載，由於從奇里基省的古墓當中挖掘出了大量黃金雕像、垂飾等飾品，因此當地曾有超過4000個墓穴被盜掘，挖掘出了價值超過十萬美元的金像。附近數十英里範圍內的居民都為這一發現而激動不已，許多城鎮和繁華的農場因此被完全拋棄；由於這一突如其來的事變，當地的物資供應緊張，造成了相當大的困難。