Quimbaya Gold Pectoral with Shamanic Figure

This gold pectoral from the Quimbaya culture (500–1000) shows a shaman in mid-transformation, combining human, bird, and bat traits. A towering headdress rises above a central figure with outstretched wings, while a broad crescent blade frames the chest. Such ornaments signaled spiritual authority and elite status, linking the wearer to lunar cycles and nocturnal powers.