User:Mcargill05/Animals In Isthmo-Colombian Art

Indigenous peoples of the Isthmo-Colombian region shared their environment with a variety of animals, and many of those animals are represented in various art mediums. These mediums include pottery, gold and jade. The environment of Central America is incredibly variable and offers a rich diversity of plant and animal species. These environments include coral reefs, savannas, rain forest, farming valleys, volcanoes and semi-arid Pacific lowlands.

Art Techniques

Gold

There are several techniques for creating gold objects used by Isthmo-Colombian peoples. Some of these techniques may have originated in Colombia, but there is little evidence to suggest Central American groups did not independently invent their own. Pure gold was often mixed with other metals to create an alloy called tumbaga or guanín. These alloys would make the gold easier to work with by lowering the melting point of the gold and allowing heated gold to be more malleable. Gold in Costa Rica could be found in ore veins in rock, revealed when the overlying rock was eroded away, or could be found as nuggets or dust in and around riverbeds.

Hammering

Gold was heated to become malleable and hammered flat. These were then decorated and shaped to be used in objects like chest plates, belts and bracelets.

Casting

Multiple casting techniques were used in order to achieve a desired design. In the technique of beeswax casting, beeswax was molded into the desired shape. A mixture of charcoal and clay was put over the beeswax. The wax was melted and replaced by molten gold. When the gold had cooled, the mold would be broken, and the gold was then polished and finished. Core casting consisted of a charcoal and clay mixture molded into the desired shape covered in beeswax, and covered again in the charcoal and clay mixture. Molten gold replaced the wax, and when the gold had cooled, the clay core and mold were broken. This created a hollow object.

Jade

Many jade objects have been excavated in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica. Some of these objects have designs which seem to be influenced by design styles of Mesoamerican cultures farther north. This supports the possibility of trade between Mesoamerica and Isthmo-Colombian peoples. Jade objects were created using a hammer and chisel to extract a smaller piece from a large block of jade. The piece was then decorated with engravings using sharpened sticks and polished with waxes.

Pottery

Several pottery techniques are represented in Isthmo-Colombian art. These include manual modeling, coiling and molding. The pottery was decorated according to the piece’s intended function with painting, engraving and polishing. The pottery was then fired in a kiln.

Marine and Freshwater Animals

Many sea creatures, such as shrimp, lobsters and crabs are represented in Isthmo-Colombian art. Archaeological evidence as well as artifacts of gold, jade and pottery suggest the indigenous people of Central America had particular knowledge of these sea creatures in order to effectively catch them. Knowledge of the environment, tidal rhythms and reproductive rhythms also facilitated marine animal capture. The Conte people of central Panama have several representations of crabs, stingrays and sharks in their art, but no edible fish species. It is possible the Conte people portrayed mostly “dangerous” animals in their art.

Reptiles

Rivers were critical to everyday life for indigenous groups and provided communication, raw materials and food. Crocodiles, lizards and caimans are common reptiles found in Central and South American rivers. “Representations of reptiles have been related to certain Mesoamerican deities”, and thus are represented in many art forms. One particular specimen is a censer topped with an elaborate representation of a crocodile with human-like features. The crocodile’s strange features can be explained by citing a folk tale, in which a mother and son can transform themselves into animal forms. This crocodile possibly signifies the magical transformation from human to animal. Along with crocodilians, turtles are represented in Isthmo-Colombian art, including on body adornments. Turtles were important to indigenous groups and their meat and other body parts were used in various ways. Frogs are a common amphibian not only in art of the region, but there is a large variety of species within the region as well. Among many indigenous groups, frogs, along with snakes and toads, are associated with fertility. Snakes are often represented in Isthmo-Colombian art in a very stylized way, so identification of individual species is nearly impossible. Often snakes are representative of fertility and can be seen as a phallic symbol, often replacing male genitalia in gold figurines. To the Bribri people, snakes were seen as the spears and arrows of demons.

Felines

Cats are a common animal represented in Isthmo-Colombian art. Many of these cats are typically shown with typically characteristics of felines, with sharp teeth, robust limbs and spots or other fur colors indicated by paint or raised markings on the objects. Among many groups the ocelot, a spotted cat smaller than the jaguar, is associated with hunting ability, agility and astuteness of character. It was believed by the Bribri people that a person could take on the characteristics of the ocelot during ceremonies, such as the birthing ritual. A matate, or grinding stone, decorated with felines is so magnificently and meticulously carved into the stone, is thought to be ceremonial, suggesting the feline was important in indigenous mythology. The matate was found at Guayabo de Turrialba, an archaeological site with beautiful architecture and other archaeological evidence to suggest it was important in settling the Atlantic watershed region.

Other Mammals

Monkeys

Monkeys are believed to be important in Central American mythology. Their features closely resemble those of humans, and because many species dwell in the trees, they are said to connect the land and the forest. Found in the Greater Nicoya region, a piece of pottery engraved in a style called esgrafiado de Rosales en zonas shows a stylized Capuchin monkey. For the Bribri people, monkeys were associated with agility and strength in children.

Bats

For indigenous groups in Costa Rica, bats were associated with the relationship between life and death. Effigies of bats have been found on objects made of gold, jade and pottery.

Birds

Birds are often represented throughout Mesoamerica, Central and South America. One of the most important birds represented in Isthmo-Colombian art is the harpy eagle. These eagles are possibly associated with high-ranking officials, as evidence from such burials suggests, and mythology. Numerous pendants made of gold clearly represent the harpy eagle. Macaws are also heavily represented in Isthmo-Colombian art. It is possible the colorful plumage of these birds were attractive as personal adornments. Macaws may have been sacrificed and buried with high-ranking people; perhaps with the belief the macaw would take the soul of the dead to the underworld. Many important daily activities are associated with the activities of macaws. A stone matate with an elegantly carved macaw’s head found in the Guanacaste region was probably used to prepare food for ritual ceremonies, and further supports the importance of macaws for indigenous peoples. Other birds represented include buzzards, parakeets, owls and quetzals.

References

• "Animals That were Bad To Eat Were Good To Compete With: An Analysis Of The Conte Style From Ancient Panama". University of Oregon Anthropological Papers. 9: 3–20. 1976.

• Mora, Martin C. (1995). Gold, Jade, Forests: Costa Rica. Amon-Re Ltd. ISBN 0-295-97516-4. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

• Wallace, David Rains (1997) Central American Landscapes. In Central America: A Natural and Cultural History. Ann Arbor: Edwards Brothers, Inc., pp. 72-96.