Key Marco Cat

myminifactory

Meet the world-renowned Key Marco Cat, a priceless cat statuette believed to have been crafted between 500 and 1,500 years ago. Discovered by renowned anthropologist Frank Hamilton Cushing in an 1896 Key Marco excavation, the wooden figure remained remarkably preserved because it was buried in a layer of muck devoid of oxygen. Unlike many other artifacts that disintegrated instantly upon exposure to air, the Key Marco Cat survived with astonishing detail intact. "Notable perishable artifacts like the Key Marco Cat are rare in the archaeological record," remarks Torben Rick, Chairman of the Department of Anthropology at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History. "Its significance lies in the information it holds about human history, cultural diversity, and the ways these issues can inspire researchers and the general public." The Key Marco Cat – a half-human, half-panther figure thought to have held significant religious importance – is the most famous of the Pepper-Hearst artifacts. Crafted from native buttonwood using shark teeth and shell scrapers, the 6-inch figure stands as a stunning example of fine Calusa artistry and workmanship. Scientists confirm that careful rubbing with animal fat left a protective patina on the figure after it was buried by a catastrophic hurricane in the 12th or 13th century.