Last Friday after work I visited the new exhibition at the British Museum, Beyond El Dorado: Power and Gold in Ancient Colombia. Organised with the Museo del Oro in Bogotá, the exhibition was a fascinating insight into the cultures of South America before the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century.
The legend of El Dorado has survived to this day, most commonly as the ‘city of gold’, but at the time, it was also described as a man covered in powdered gold. Gold held supreme importance in pre-16th century South American societies: it wasn’t used as currency, but it had strong symbolic significance. I was amazed by the craftsmanship in the beautiful pieces on display, showing how the work of the various peoples of the region differed by style.
Definitely take a look at this exhibition if you can – the artefacts are just beautiful, and they emphasise how complex and diverse society was in South America.