The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of March 29, 2024

Lime Dipper

Lime Dipper

c. 1–800 CE

Description

Coca-leaf chewing was a widespread ritual in ancient South America. Utensils included a container and a dipper or spoon for powdered lime (made from seashells), added to the coca to enhance its gentle, stimulating effect. Colombian cultures are especially known for transforming these utensils into works of art made of precious metal. The image on the tallest dipper is wonderfully complex. A serpent coils at the bottom, beneath a snarling animal with a huge, vertical tail. This animal has a tiny monkey on its back; the monkey also has a huge tail, which rests on the first animal's head like a headdress. This intricate image was created with the lost-wax casting process.
  • Boston, MA: The Museum of Fine Arts Boston; December 5, 1968- January 12, 1969. Chicago, IL: The Art Institute of Chicago; February 4- March 9, 1969. Richmond, VA: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; March 24- April 20, 1969. "The Gold of Ancient America." cat. no. 43.
    The Gold of Ancient America. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Boston, MA (organizer) (December 1, 1968-January 18, 1969); The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL (February 1-March 9, 1969); Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, VA (March 24-April 20, 1969).
    Treasures of Peruvian Gold. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (February 23-April 3, 1966).
    Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art; February 23-April 3, 1966. "Treasures of Peruvian Gold."
    In Memoriam: Leonard C. Hanna, Jr.. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (March 4-April 7, 1958).
    Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art; March 4-April 6, 1958. "In Memoriam: Leonard C. Hanna, Jr.," cat. no. 168, repro in black and white.
    Dallas, TX: Neiman-Marcus Co.; October 19-31, 1959. "South American Fortnight." no. 29.
  • {{cite web|title=Lime Dipper|url=false|author=|year=c. 1–800 CE|access-date=29 March 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1957.22