pre-Columbian poporo quimbaya colombia

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The poporo quimbaya is a piece of pre-Columbian art from the classic quimbaya period. It is exhibited in the Gold Museum of Bogota. Its main use was as a ceremonial container for the mambeo of coca leaves during religious ceremonies. The specimen on display was manufactured around 301 B.C.1. It is believed that the piece of art was excavated from a burial chamber in 1930, in the municipality of Anorí in the department of Antioquia, at a time when the theft of archaeological jewellery (guaqueo) was common. The quimbayas were experts at maneuvering gold, so poporo was not the only object carved in this metal.23 In 1939, the Banco de la República bought the poporo in an effort to prevent its destruction. This initiated a pre-Columbian gold preservation project and the creation of the Bogota Gold Museum.