Frog-shaped pendant. Diquís-Chiriquí, Costa Rica, 300 B.C.–800 A.D.

Frog-shaped pendant. Diquís-Chiriquí, Costa Rica, 300 B.C.–800 A.D.
Tumbaga—an alloy of gold and copper—cast using the lost-wax method.
Provenance: private collection of Dr. Gabriel Semplé.
In good overall condition.
Measurements: 13.5 cm high.

Zoomorphic metalwork is one of the most characteristic expressions of the pre-Columbian cultures of the Greater Chiriquí region, a territory that encompassed southern Costa Rica and western Panama. Frogs, birds, felines, and reptiles were transformed into pendants with strong symbolic meaning, likely used as personal ornaments and symbols of prestige. Metalworking in this region reached a high level of development in the late societies of the Diquís subregion.

The frog featured prominently in the iconography of the Greater Chiriquí. Its association with water, rain, and natural cycles fostered connections to fertility, renewal, and transformation, although the precise meaning of each specimen depended on its cultural context. Similar pendants preserved at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and the Denver Art Museum also feature openwork bodies, spirals, lateral appendages, and devices for suspension.

The use of tumbaga produced an alloy more suitable for casting than pure gold and facilitated the creation of openwork structures of remarkable complexity. The size of this piece—considerable for this type—and the richness of its ornamental design underscore its significance as a testament to the technical sophistication achieved by the pre-Columbian goldsmiths of Costa Rica.