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Dragon Effigy Jar

       This piece is believed to be an effigy jar representing a dragon. Effigy means that it is a crude representation of a despised person or thing.

       This vessel was produced in a two piece mold and is finely crafted with much detail. The entire object except for the handle would have been formed in a mold. The handle would have been hand crafted using a modeling technique.

Cultural Affiliation

       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 dragon head is finely crafted with a lot of detail and the overall colour of the piece can be explained by a special firing technique which blackens the piece. The piece has an overall shine that was probably produced through burnishing.

       The expert craftsmanship of this piece makes it difficult to believe that it was a tribute to a hated being.

Front View 351 KB

Side View 363 KB

Dragon Head Close-Up 241 KB