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Description
The Gran Coclé culture, which existed in Panama from approximately 200 BCE to 1550 CE, is demarcated by a distinct artistic style. Large vessels with bold colors, strong structural design, and distinct artistic motifs are a hallmark of this cultural style. Expertly created gold effigies and objects also represent a large portion of archaeological artifacts discovered in the Coclé region. These forms of artistic creation are a concrete expression of the culture as it existed, a testament to the life and times of the people who inhabited what is now modern-day Coclé Province, Panama. Tracking the life cycle of the vessels, weapons, adornments, and other artifacts discovered in this region and analyzing the steps involved in their creation will help provide additional ethnographic context to studies of this Pre-Columbian culture.
The importance of nature’s multi-faceted roles becomes apparent when conducting a close study of several specific artifacts, likely found in elite burials: an hourglass shaped jar, a zoomorphic pedestal plate, a stingray effigy vessel, a large plate with a seven paneled design, a small gold bat pendant, and a gold plaque with a four-headed motif. The majority of these pieces, which currently reside at the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, FL, lack detailed information about where they were recovered. The analysis of these materials and comparison to objects from the region with known provenience, will help contextualize these materials within the Gran Coclé culture and the field of anthropology as a whole.
Poster
The Life History of Artifacts from the Coclé Culture in Panama
The Gran Coclé culture, which existed in Panama from approximately 200 BCE to 1550 CE, is demarcated by a distinct artistic style. Large vessels with bold colors, strong structural design, and distinct artistic motifs are a hallmark of this cultural style. Expertly created gold effigies and objects also represent a large portion of archaeological artifacts discovered in the Coclé region. These forms of artistic creation are a concrete expression of the culture as it existed, a testament to the life and times of the people who inhabited what is now modern-day Coclé Province, Panama. Tracking the life cycle of the vessels, weapons, adornments, and other artifacts discovered in this region and analyzing the steps involved in their creation will help provide additional ethnographic context to studies of this Pre-Columbian culture.
The importance of nature’s multi-faceted roles becomes apparent when conducting a close study of several specific artifacts, likely found in elite burials: an hourglass shaped jar, a zoomorphic pedestal plate, a stingray effigy vessel, a large plate with a seven paneled design, a small gold bat pendant, and a gold plaque with a four-headed motif. The majority of these pieces, which currently reside at the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, FL, lack detailed information about where they were recovered. The analysis of these materials and comparison to objects from the region with known provenience, will help contextualize these materials within the Gran Coclé culture and the field of anthropology as a whole.
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Faculty Advisor: Dr. Gabrielle Vail