Lizard Amulet
2018 © Maxim Tabachnik
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Lizard Amulet

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This gold lizard amulet from Zenú goldsmiths (500–1200) shows a stylized body with a long tail and curled legs, outlined by a central row of tiny bosses. Its compact form and suspension loop suggest it was worn close to the body. Lizards, associated with regeneration and agility, signaled resilience and renewal, linking the wearer to shamanic ideas of earthly transformation.