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Tunjos (Votive Offering Figurine)
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
Unlike the other gold ornaments made in the isthmian region, tunjos were not worn; instead, they served as offerings that were deposited in sacred places such as lagoons and caves. They often depict humans who hold something. Perhaps because they were not meant for display, tunjos were not finished after lost-wax casting. Flaws remain uncorrected, surfaces are unpolished, and gold that backed into the channel used to pour the molten metal into the mold was left in place.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineTunjos (Votive Offering Figurine), c. 900–1550. Colombia, Muisca style. Cast gold; overall: 10.1 x 2.4 x 0.7 cm (4 x 15/16 x 1/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, In memory of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Humphreys, gift of their daughter Helen, 1947.22
