
by Ancient Muisca (Unknown), 300
Muisca The Quimbaya Poporo is a gold container for lime powder used in coca leaf consumption, created by the Quimbaya people around 300 CE. The elegant form combines a spherical body with a long neck and delicate pin for extracting the lime. Poporos were prestige objects, and this example's refined design makes it an icon of pre-Columbian gold work.
Coca leaves chewed with lime release stimulants that reduce hunger and fatigue. Throughout the Andes, coca was sacred and ceremonial, not recreational. The elaborate containers holding lime reflected the importance of coca rituals and the status of their owners. Quimbaya goldwork demonstrates outstanding technical mastery, including lost-wax casting and careful alloy control.
The poporo is at the Museo del Oro in Bogotá.
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