This fabulous pendant shows a figure seated on
a tongue-shaped appendage. Though the
breasts are quite prominent, the body and face
appear to be male. He is naked except for a thick
necklace fashioned in a checkerboard pattern,
along with two bracelets on each leg and a
chinstrap, all in the same design. The conical hat
also has two bands in the checkerboard style,
giving it a texture like cloth With both arms
extended, he holds a rod on which four bird-like
creatures are perched, their tails each dangling
with a large plaque. Another plaque bangs from
the man's nose, which is grossly elongated. This
deformation occurs in other Sinu figure
pendants, and probably was done for ritualistic
purposes. Lovely coiled earspools complete the
fantastic ornamentation. We may be seeing here
a representation of an important priest in ritual
attire at the height of an important ceremony. It
is intriguing to imagine this pendant being worn
by the very person it depicts; a sort of mirror
image in miniature. Or perhaps it is a revered
ancestor. in any case, if the great shamans were
interested in immortality, some have at least
achieved that elusive goal through the medium
of gold; held forever with ail its brilliant magic
intact.....trudy
- (FJ.6233)
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