Diquís Spiny Crocodile Pendant
2018 © Maxim Tabachnik
Diquís Gold Frog PendantDiquís Gold Frog PendantDiquís Raptor PendantDiquís Bat PendantDiquís Gold Pendant with Winged BeingDiquís Spiny Crocodile PendantDiquís Twin-Headed Turtle PendantEmbossed Gold Disks of DiquísGuanín Rattle PendantDiquís Openwork Gold RattleDiquís Harpy Eagle Pendants and Metal AlloysDiquís Gold Adornments and Avian Pendants

Diquís Spiny Crocodile Pendant

253
This gold pendant (700–1550) from southern Costa Rica depicts a crocodile with flared limbs, textured fins, and a dramatic row of dorsal spines. Its fierce expression and aquatic features suggest a guardian spirit tied to rivers and the underworld. Such pendants embodied protective power, transformation, and spiritual authority in Diquís cosmology.