Object Image

Amulet in the Form of a Seated Figure with Bovine Head

With a bovine head and four horns, this seated figurine was a powerful ritual and shamanic symbol. Drill holes above its shoulders form two interconnected perforations for suspension, suggesting that the jade was originally used as a pendant, presumably by the shaman performing the tasks of journeying to and communicating with the supernatural realms.

Credit: Gift of Severance A. Millikin

c. 4700-2920 BCE
Jade (nephrite)
13.2cm
1953.628
Image and text: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 2024

Where you'll find this

The Cleveland Museum of Art
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Permanent collection