Spinning Ritual Disc

This gold-copper alloy disc (c. 1120 AD), from the Nariño highlands of southern Colombia, was used in ceremonial contexts. Suspended by a central cord and spun, it created hypnotic light effects believed to induce altered states of consciousness. Its dual-sided geometric designs—crafted through advanced polishing, oxidizing, and scraping—reflect both technical mastery and symbolic abstraction, reinforcing elite spiritual and political authority.