Spatula

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Culture Taíno

Title Spatula

Date 15th century

Medium Wood

Dimensions Object: 15 3/8 × 1 3/8 × 2 15/16 in. (39.1 × 3.5 × 7.5 cm)
Overall: 15 3/8 × 1 3/8 × 2 15/16 in. (39.1 × 3.5 × 7.5 cm)

Credit Line Raymond and Laura Wielgus Collection, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University

Accession Number 2010.53

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About this Work

Taíno priests who served as intermediaries between the spiritual and natural realm inhaled hallucinogens to connect with the other world and communicate with the spirits. Before doing so, they purified themselves by purging with a spatula such as this one, which is curved to fit down the throat. Anthropomorphic depictions on spatulas' handles are generally associated with spirits who people believed could assist them in their lives.

Provenance
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Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.

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"Spatula | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2024. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=2010.53