animal with feline attributes; circa 1,000 BC. Veraguas culture, also known as the Chiriqui culture, a pre-Columbian Panama culture. It is noted for the quality of its goldwork. The Veraguas culture cast zoomorphic pendants out of gold and tumbaga, using the lost wax method. When using tumbaga, artists would often use acid to remove copper from the surface, allowing for a shinier piece. This process is known as depletion gilding..