Returned to lender The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Lime Container in the Shape of a Jaguar
Not on view
This lime container (poporo) is made of many pieces of metal sheet crimped or joined by wire loops. The nose ornament was fabricated from platinum, a rare material that is difficult to work with. Unlike gold, silver, and copper, platinum is not easily hammered and has a high melting point. The thin spoon with a finial, inserted between the feline’s shoulder blades, would have been used to retrieve powdered lime.
El recipiente para cal (poporo) está compuesto por varias piezas individuales de hoja de metal corrugado o unido con alambre; las garras frontales fueron fabricadas con la misma técnica. La nariguera fue fabricada con platino, material poco frecuente y difícil de trabajar por su alto punto de fusión (3,215°F/1,768°C). La fina cuchara con un pináculo, insertada entre los omóplatos del felino, era probablemente utilizada para recoger el polvo de cal que actúa como catalizador de los alcaloides en la hoja de coca, un estimulante mascado en las sociedades andinas.
Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.
