This is a smaller version of the famous poporo, the Poporo Quimbaya, a pre-Columbian art piece of the classic Quimbaya period, currently exhibited in the Gold Museum in Bogotá, Colombia. Its primary use was as a ceremonial device for chewing of coca leaves during religious ceremonies. It was made around 300 CE with a lost-wax casting process.
It is believed that the art piece was stolen from a burial chamber in the early 1930s, on Loma del Pajarito ("Birdie Hill") near Yarumal in the Antioquia department. At the time, the grave robbing of indigenous tombs was very common, often ending with destruction of important archeological pieces in order to extract the gold.
The Poporo Quimbaya, originally made of tumbaga, a gold and copper alloy - is an unusual piece, with oddly minimalistic lines that give it a modern look. It is one of the most recognized pre-Columbian artpieces, and is often used as a symbol of the indigenous culture.
13"D 10"H
24K Gold Plated Poporo
Pre-Columbian Figures
6"D / 5"L
