Labret
| Culture | Tairona |
|---|---|
| Title | Labret |
| Date | 1000–1500 |
| Medium | Gold |
| Dimensions | Object: 5/8 × 3/4 × 1 3/4 in. (1.6 × 1.9 × 4.4 cm) Overall: 5/8 × 3/4 × 1 3/4 in. (1.6 × 1.9 × 4.4 cm) |
| Credit Line | Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University |
| Accession Number | 72.18 |
| This artwork is currently on view. | |
A gold labret in the form of a crocodile or caiman head. The head is composed of fine gold detail, including curving braided lines and rows of circular coils at the top of the head.
Though not as complex as some Tairona ornaments, this labret, which was fitted into a hole beneath the lower lip of an elite member of the society, is a fine example of the delicacy and refinement for which Tairona gold work is known. It shows that Tairona goldsmiths excelled in casting using the lost-wax process and in the fashioning of added ornaments that were incorporated into larger pieces, such as the small rings at the top of the head.
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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Cite this page
"Labret | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=72.18