Before gold caught the fancy of pirates everywhere, the people of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica (500 BC to 1600 AD) were eye-high in the precious metal. Believed by many cultures to be of the sun, gold was used for ceremonial objects because of its connection to the source of life and its malleable quality. Today, 271 of these ceremonial artifacts are on display in the exhibit “The Spirit of Ancient Colombian Gold,” collected almost exclusively from sacred burial spots not looted by Spanish conquerors.
“Gold” features intricate figurines and ornaments. Other objects consisting of bone, stone, shell, ceramics or wood also help trace the mastery of gold-working in Mesoamerica, from casting techniques to hammering. Check out the shiny stuff that people have lived and died for from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesdays-Sundays. Starts: May 14. Continues through Sept. 10
This article appears in May 11-17, 2006.