Bowls

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Bat Effigy Bowl

       This bowl was created by the Tairona culture and is thought to be a bat effigy bowl. Effigy means that it is a crude representation of a despised person or thing.

       The body of this bowl was formed using a coiling technique and the pointed base is characteristic of this. The legs were formed by modeling and then attaching them to the piece.

       Along the lower ridge of the piece there is some incising for decoration. The major decoration of this piece are the two bat heads found on the side of the piece. These heads were probably formed also by modeling and then attaching after the vessel was created.

       The Tairona culture existed in the northern corner of Columbia. They were agriculturalists and had a culture that was similar to the Inca. The Tairona existed from 600BC to 100AD. Their art is known for the complex mythological creatures which are created through the combination a human, eagle and bat characteristics.  

      The piece has not been painted but it does have an overall shine which was probably produced by burnishing.

Over View 313 KB

Front View 296 KB

Side View 200 KB

Frontal Bat Close-Up 214 KB