Ancient Tairona Triple Bird Pendant Necklace with Carnelian and 20k Gold Beads

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Ancient Tairona Triple Bird Pendant Necklace with Carnelian and 20k Gold Beads

About the Item

Twenty-four round gold beads with twenty-four round carnelian beads and a pair of cylindrical carnelian tubes. There are three bird pendants, two of red jasper and one of orange carnelian. The stone pieces are said to be from the Tairona people of Colombia, South America. They have been made entirely without the use of metal tools by the use of abrasives, drills and string saws. The birds are probably representations of the harpy eagle, the largest raptor in the amazon Basin. The largest pendant is 2.2 cm in height. It is 1.6 cm wide at the shoulders. It is 1.5 cm from front to back. It is drilled for suspension through the neck groove with a hole diameter of 3 mm. The bird has bulging eyes, raised circles on either side of the head. Two grooves angle forward to meet at the point of the beak to mark the separation of the top and bottom of the beak. There is a groove around the outlines of the wings to either side of the body. Two horizontal lines indicate the tail feathers hanging down in the rear and the register for the feet show vertical lines indicating the toes. The form is squat and contained. The technique of manufacture, grinding and grooving with string saws and abrasives, results in an economy of form and schematic representation of the parts of the anatomy. The carnelian bird is 1.7 cm in height and It is 1.1 cm from back to front. It is drilled through the neck groove for suspension. The drill hole is 2 mm in diameter. The same conventions are employed to delineate the forms, but the overall proportions are less boxy than in the previous. The third bird of red jasper is 1.9 cm in height and 1.3 cm across the shoulders. It is 9.5mm from back to front. It is drilled through for suspension at the neck groove with a hole diameter of 2 mm. The same conventions of representation are employed, but the proportions are different with the head being raised on a longer neck and the eyes protruding and bulging out from the head. The beak is shorter and more rounded. In spite of the limitations of the technique employed in the making of the birds, each conveys a different expression and demeanor. The twenty four round carnelian beads are 7.5 mm in diameter and 4.5 mm – 5 mm in length being flattened spheres. The drill holes are 2 mm in diameter. The two carnelian tube beads are 7.5 mm in diameter and 2 cm and 2.25 cm in length. The drill holes are 4 mm in diameter. The six largest round gold beads are 1.1 cm in diameter and 1.15 cm in length, being slightly oblate. The eighteen smaller round gold beads are 7.5 mm in diameter. The gold clasp is a hook and eye and beading tips, the hook made from a strip of gold with the end rolled up at the end of the hook. It attaches to an eye with the attachment circle at right angles to another circle which attaches to the beading tips. The beading tips are spheres with a strap of flattened wire attached to the bordered rim on a raised disc to either side of the openings. This hides the knots at the end of the cord on which the beads are strung. The beading tips continue the look of the spherical beads and are also incorporated into the design of the clasp. The necklace is 17 inches (43.3 cm) in length. The necklace weighs 48.3 grams.

Creator:
David Ebbinghouse
Metal:
Gold
Stone:
Carnelian,Jasper
Stone Cut:
Bead
Weight:
48.3 g
Dimensions:
Length: 17.05 in (433 mm)
Style:
Artist
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
15th Century and Earlier
Date of Manufacture:
2013
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. The stone pendants and beads in this necklace are all ancient. The goldwork is modern and was done by our expert goldsmith, Michael Winsten, to enhance the beauty of the ancient beads.
Seller Location:
Bloomington, IN
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU2425213878612