Among the highlights are Moche ornaments from Peru, Mayan masks from Mexico, and Tolima pendants from Colombia.

On Wednesday, the Animalia exhibition opened at the Hôtel de la Marine in Paris, featuring more than 120 pieces from the Al Thani Collection, owned by the Qatari royal family.

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The exhibition offers a cross-disciplinary perspective on how animals were symbols of power, the sacred, and spiritual transformation in cultures such as pre-Columbian civilizations, Pharaonic Egypt, and ancient China.

Among the highlights are Moche ornaments from Peru, Mayan masks from Mexico, and Tolima pendants from Colombia, all linked to the jaguar as an emblem of power and spirituality.

According to Helene de Givry, scientific director of the Al Thani Collection, a serpentine sculpture depicting a shaman transforming into a jaguar conveys political power and spiritual metamorphosis.

Come to see animals from the Americas. Recently, the #Shanghai Museum announced a new exhibition. From July 11th to August 31st, people can have a close look at animals from the Americas, including spiders, beetles, capybaras, and alpacas. #animallover pic.twitter.com/c3rPwxtiQE

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This cultural dialogue is reflected in the room dedicated to power, where a Moche jaguar, a ceremonial vessel belonging to the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II with a lion motif, and a Chinese buckle in the shape of a tiger are displayed side by side.

Another outstanding American piece is a Mochica capuchin monkey head, transformed into a necklace bead, crafted in gold and copper with chrysocolla and sodalite inlays, displaying great artistic expression.

The exhibition also includes Egyptian baboons, imperial horses, Mesopotamian lions, Chinese tigers, 17th-century naturalistic birds, and African sculptures, showcasing the diversity of animal representations in different cultures.

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Source: EFE

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